Step by Step
by Elynis
Summary: Sometimes things don't always go according to plan. This is doubly so when you're Jaina Proudmoore. Triple when you add the Wrynns. Or is it quadruple? Sequel to Misery Loves Company.
1. Chapter 1

Yeah did you really think I was going to leave it alone? Hell no. I'm going down with this ship!

Sorry all ya horndogs, there will be no smut in this installment. Enjoy a healthy dose of stupid fluff instead.

* * *

She should have been in bed. She should've been resting after the tumultuous events of the day before. Her healers would've insisted she be in bed if they could see her now.

Instead, Jaina Proudmoore was up, staring at her reflection in the mirror, her mind utterly consumed with an unexpected and terrifying revelation. She'd could neither eat nor sleep, making the dark circles under her eyes stand out starkly against her pale skin. A dull but persistent headache throbbed steadily in time with her pounding heart. Clenching her teeth, Jaina pressed her forehead to the cool reflective surface, groaning as her stomach gave a dangerous lurch.

Five weeks ago, Jaina attended a Winter Veil ball in Stormwind, her first public appearance since the loss of Theramore. She had been utterly miserable for much of it, but found surprising comfort and peace with her friend, Varian Wrynn. The quiet companionship had turned into a spontaneous act of passion and intimacy. With it came a stunning revelation that she was still loved, cherished, and had greatly deepened her friendship with Varian.

Nothing else was supposed to have come of it.

But something had, something terrifying and life altering. Something that was the capable of taking away one of the last bastions of love and safety she had after losing her island home.

She promised Varian she had access to contraceptives to take care of whatever side effects threatened from their night together. And she had! Once a healer explained why her contraceptives had failed, it'd become clear for her, but comprehension didn't make reality any less terrifying.

Jaina was with child.

"I don't want to do this again," she told her reflection. "I can't…."

Over a decade ago, Arthas had ended their relationship with only a casual mention of children. Part of her knew Varian wasn't Arthas, but the experience had left a scar on her psyche, creating the foundation of what she thought would happen if something like it ever happened again. The fear of losing what little she had left was making her mind fabricate absurd and outlandish consequences over the sudden development.

Would Varian hate her? Would he send her away? Banish her from Stormwind for the rest of her life?

Would he make her get rid of it?

Jaina's hands clenched into weak fists. She wanted to run, to hide this secret from the world and protect it.

No, she couldn't hide it. She couldn't keep something as incredibly important as this from her closest friend. Her gaze hardened at her reflection in the mirror.

"The sooner you get it over with, the better," Jaina murmured to herself as she straightened, swaying precariously as her world gave a tiny lurch. Swallowing hard, she pressed the palm of her hand to her throbbing head and groaned, considering her options

She could teleport to Stormwind and send a note to Varian. Jaina hoped he'd be available to talk at some point during the day. She could recover from whatever state her spell left her in while waiting for him.

A somewhat sound plan in hand, Jaina steeled herself and cast a quick teleportation spell.

She reappeared in one of the private parlors in Stormwind Keep on the notion it would be empty. Her assumption was correct, but her relief was short lived as her world spun and her vision darkened at the edges. Clutching the back of the sofa she'd appeared behind was the only thing that kept her from falling as her stomach made good on its earlier promised and heaved.

 _Jokes on you stomach, there's nothing in there,_ Jaina thought to herself, then winced. Teleporting on an empty stomach, on top of what occurred the previous day, may not have been the wisest choice.

She held onto the back of the sofa for several seconds, waiting for the dizziness to pass. To her dismay, her symptoms worsened, the ringing buzz in her ears slowly building to a roar as the strength in her legs faded.

 _I'm going to pass out,_ Jaina realized as she gritted her teeth. In one last ditch effort not to land on the floor, she began to shuffle around the sofa, one hand or the other clutching the cushioned back in a death-grip as she moved. Each step sent her world spinning harder. Spots began dotting her vision as the darkened edges began to close in on her.

Fortunately, Jaina made it around to the front of the sofa before blacking out. Dropping down, she dug her fingers into the plush upholstery so her body didn't trick her into rolling off during a lapse in equilibrium. Being horizontal helped ease some of her churning stomach. Shifting slightly, afraid she'd fall off if she did much more, Jaina buried her face in one of the throw pillows and closed her eyes. She could still _feel_ the world spinning around her. Removing the sight of it made it more bearable. Breathing heavily, she lay there quietly for several minutes, waiting for the uneasy sensation to pass.

She made a pathetic little whining noise when the whirling stubbornly decided to stay.

Clenching her teeth, Jaina cast another spell, sending her awareness throughout the Keep, invisible and imperceptible by anyone, in search of her quarry. The first two places she checked yielded nothing, but her third try found Varian in one of his council chambers in the middle of a meeting with someone she didn't have the patience to identify.

Jaina was quite proud of herself when she gently brushed her consciousness over his, alerting him to her presence without allowing any of the turmoil she was experiencing to bleed through. Surprise immediately shifted to delight once Varian recognized her. Jaina was about to ask if she could speak him when his meeting was over, but her stomach tried to heave instead. She was able to hold down the dry heave, but in doing so, the fragile barrier keeping her distress at bay broke. It flooded the king so quickly she felt his mind reel and their connection flared.

" _Where are you? What's wrong? What's happened?"_ Varian asked, his deep baritone vibrating through her body. The intensity of his response shattered the last of her focus. Their telepathic link dissolved as her world lurched in a new round of dizziness and nausea. She was left trembling and cold on the sofa, drifting in and out of consciousness, unaware of the passage of time until two warm hands found hers.

"Jaina?" Varian's worried voice cut through the fog. With what felt like a monumental amount of effort, she managed to open her eyes to find his blurry visage kneeling next to the sofa in front of her. "What's happened? Do you need me to send for a healer?"

"No, Varian, I'm all right," she tried to assure him, the whirling sensation slowly starting to fade as his face came back into focus.

"'All right' isn't the term I'd use for what I'm seeing," he growled back, concern clear on his face.

Jaina struggled to sit up, distantly appalled at how much her limbs shook. Varian helped her until she was sitting vertically, then he sat next to her. She tried looking up at him, but her head continued to pound. She found herself instinctively ducking her head down to lean it against his left shoulder, a moan escaping of its own accord.

"You're sure you don't want me to send for a healer?" Varian asked with surprising patience.

"No, I just need a minute," Jaina insisted, trying to breathe evenly. All she succeeded with was holding down another dry heave.

"Perhaps I should get the waste basket instead?" Humor lacing the concern in his voice.

" _No,"_ she hissed. Jaina would've smacked him with a throw pillow, but she found her hands already occupied. Her right one clutched the left sleeve of his long tunic. The other had already steepled its fingers with Varian's.

 _When did that happened?_ Jaina found herself momentarily distracted by the view of their interlaced fingers, then cleared her throat, forcing herself back on topic. "Something important has come up… something that's going to affect the both of us."

"What could be so important that you would come all the way here when you're clearly unwell?" Varian asked.

Jaina opened her mouth to answer, but her throat closed as dread filled her stomach, sending it churning once more. Biting the inside of her cheek, Jaina tried to find some kind of anchor in the storm of turmoil within her. Tears began to fall as she stared at her lap, "I...I'm…" the final word came out in a mangled sob, completely unintelligible.

Varian leaned down until his forehead nearly touched her, "I didn't catch that last part," he said gently. "One more time. please?"

Fear filled her eyes ducked her head down against his shoulder again "I don't want to lose you."

"Why would you lose me?" His deep voice asked, one of his arms wrapping comfortingly around her.

Jaina swallowed hard, mouth dry as her heart hammered so loudly in her chest she was certain Varian could hear it. Trembling, she finally met his gaze, "Because I'm pregnant."

At first there was no reaction at all. Nothing more than a few eye blinks as the gravity of her words penetrated his consciousness. Then the gentle expression evaporated from his face as he blanched. "You're what?" Varian's voice was quiet and calm even as the hands holding hers suddenly let go.

"I'm pregnant," she whispered, her gaze dropping to her lap. "I found out yesterday." There was a moment of deafening silence as Jaina waited for him to pull away completely and leave.

She was surprised when he remained where he was. When he spoke again, his voice was alarmingly calm, "Jaina, you assured me you had proper contraceptives."

"I did and I used them immediately when I got home!" she insisted as she looked up at him. Her throat clenched at the sharp gaze staring back at her.

"Was it a dud?" He asked.

"No," she whispered.

"If it worked then we wouldn't be having this conversation," Varian pointed out.

Pausing for a moment, Jaina considered how to begin her explanation. Finally she asked, "Do you know what an ectopic pregnancy is?" Varian shook his head, and she followed up with a second question, "How versed are you in women's reproductive anatomy?"

"About sixteen years out of date," he answered flatly.

Jaina cleared her throat and tried to sit up straighter. She only succeeded in getting light headed and flopping back down against the man who seemed very upset with her. "Sorry," she whispered. Varian gave a noncommittal grunt, which Jaina took as an urge to continue.

Swallowing, she raised her hand and waved it in the air before them. A multi sectioned image appeared in arcane lights depicting simplified shapes of a woman's reproductive system. "Uterus," the spoken image lit up a bit brighter, "fallopian tubes, and ovaries." The other two shapes did a brief highlight to assert themselves. "That's all we'll need for this." She waved her hand again and a little white dot appeared at the end of the right fallopian tube near the ovary, "The contraceptive I took is supposed prevents a fertilized egg from embedding in the uterus." As she explained, the glowing white dot got brighter as it traveled down the tube and into the uterus. It floated there for a minute, then dropped out of sight and disappeared. "Had my… uh… pregnancy progressed normally, this would've happened and we wouldn't be having this problem."

"What happened?" Varian asked.

"It got stuck, about there," Jaina explained as the white dot reappeared a little over halfway through the right fallopian tube.

"Why?"

"Scar tissue," Jaina said quietly, "Leftover from the burns I received from… from Theramore."

"Oh," Varian said softly. For the first time in several minutes, sympathy laced his voice.

"The healer who took care of me said scar tissue in the fallopian tubes makes it difficult for an egg to pass through easily," Jaina explained. "When it got caught, it embedded there instead." With a motion of her hand, the image changed to a close up view of the fallopian tube and a slightly larger glowing dot embedded at the bottom. "The problem is, unlike the uterus, fallopian tubes aren't designed to stretch." As she spoke, the dot began to grow until it filled out the height of the tube. "When it runs out of room, a few different things can happen. The egg can either be damaged to the point where it becomes unviable, or…" the image of the tube in front of them broke. It wasn't anything spectacular or jaw dropping, just a tiny, noticeable tear at the top of the two dimensional image. "It ruptures. This is usually a slow process and can present like… uh… menstrual cramping, but it'll continue if the egg stays viable.

"You were starting to miscarry," Varian realized.

"Yes, and it was making me sick," Jaina admitted. "I didn't think I was in such a bad state, but it was noticeable enough for Ansirem to halt the council meeting we were in yesterday, and he told me to go home. At the time, I was relieved with the idea of going back to sleep." She grimaced, "But when I stood, there was a sharp pain and I felt faint. I must've blacked out. I woke up in the hospital sometime later. They hadn't left anything to chance and taken me straight there." Jaina bit her lip, "The healer explained the rupture, and how I'd made it worse on standing. She said I'd been bleeding for several days by then."

"Days?!" Emotion finally returned as shock and concern filled the king's voice.

"Mhmm, she said the complication I was experiencing presents itself much like… early menstruation. It's what I mistook it for, and why I bled for so long." She turned and buried her face in his shoulder again, her hand coming up to clutch his tunic, "Then they asked me what I wanted to do."

"Do?" Varian asked in confusion.

"Whether to save it or…" Jaina swallowed hard again, "… let it die."

Varian inhaled sharply and tensed, sitting completely motionless for a moment as he processed what she said. Finally, he relaxed, "You said you're pregnant, so you saved it."

Nodding against his shoulder Jaina said, "I did," she clenched her eyes shut as she asked in a timid voice, "Should I not have?"

"What? No!" Varian halted with a petrified start, "I mean yes!" He froze at the fear and confusion on her face. His came up and held her tightly, pressing his cheek down on the top of her head, "You were right to have saved it."

Jaina hadn't realize she'd been holding her breath until it rushed out harshly, "You're sure?" Varian grunted in response. She wriggled free and glared at him, "Varian, I mean it! Personal ethics aside, I don't want you to look at this child with resentment just because it was made by accident!"

"Resentment? Why in the name of the Light would I look at it with resentment?" He glared back at her, but it lacked any of the viciousness that usually accompanied the king's signature glower. "I spent a spectacular night with my best friend." His countenance softened, "It's something I'll look back on fondly for the rest of my life. How could I possibly reject or resent a child that came from a moment like that?"

Jaina looked away, clenching her eyes shut as hot tears streamed down her cheeks, "Arthas did, and I was only speaking hypothetically then."

"Arthas? What does he have to...?" Varian started to ask, utterly confused. His eyes suddenly widened as he remembered the short conversation they'd had during Winter Veil. His entire demeanor changed from one breath to another as he recalled that Arthas had not only rejected the _idea_ of children, but he'd also rejected _her_.

"Oh, Jaina," he murmured, his voice soft and gentle. He reached out and gathered her up in his arms, pulling her into an embrace that shielded her from the world. "I could never do that to you. Not ever."

Jaina threw her arms around him and broke into sobs of relief. She hadn't been pushed away. She wasn't going to be abandoned by one of the few people she had left in the world she cared for. Varian's held her tightly as she cried out her fear and dismay into his shoulder.

Under normal circumstances, Jaina knew Varian despised tears. They drew out his anger and impatience, often making the situation worse instead of better. But to her surprise, Varian remained completely calm, even going as far as reclining on the sofa with her on top of him. His fingers gently combed through her hair while quietly murmuring soothing words and sounds that countered her repeated fearful sobs of losing him.

She was exhausted by the time her tears finally ended.

"You all right?" He asked.

"Mhmm," she murmured sluggishly, "I think fear and adrenaline have been the only thing keeping me going. Must've all worn off. I haven't really recovered from what happened yesterday, and I was so worried about telling you I didn't sleep last night." A short, breathy giggle escaped right after, "Sounds silly when I say it like that."

Varian's deep chuckle vibrated through her, "Maybe a little, but considering my behavior when you first said something, and the history you have with this subject, your distress had merit." He rubbed her back with one of his large hands. The warmth and motion was soothing, and Jaina felt her eyelids begin to droop.

His said something else, but her fatigued mind didn't quite hear it, "M'sorry, say again?"

"Are you okay with this?" Varian asked. "Carrying a child, I mean. This is going to put far more strain on you than me."

Jaina snuggled against him, a small grin tugging at the corners of her mouth, "Yes. I've always wanted children, but time and circumstance made me come to an understanding long ago that I'd probably never have any. I'd made my peace with it. Finding out I'm suddenly having one has been both terrifying and exciting." Her grin evolved into a full fledged smile, "I've made a child with my best friend. I can think of far worse fates than that."

Varian made a pleased rumbling noise and hugged her tightly once more. The embrace was stiff, and it took Jaina a moment to realize it wasn't because of apprehension. She could almost _feel_ the energy buzzing through his muscle as he held her.

He was happy and excited, but taking great care not hurt her.

"You're not angry," she marveled.

"No," Varian assured her, "I'm sorry if I appeared so earlier. I was taken aback, but most certainly not angry." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head before asking, "What do you need right now?"

"Sleep," the answer came automatically.

"I think I have just enough time to get you taken care of before I have to get back to my meeting," Varian said as he carefully sat up, making sure his arms were securely around her as they both got vertical.

"You don't need to trouble yourself, I can nap here on the sofa," Jaina insisted.

Varian gave an indignant snort, "I'm not letting the mother of one of my children sleep on a couch when there are plenty of good beds." Jaina felt her cheeks flush as she averted her gaze to her lap. A strange, giddy smile fought its way onto her face and Varian chuckled, "Get used to hearing that. It's true, I'm not afraid to admit it." Placing another kiss on her forehead, Varian hugged her once more before scooting her off his lap so he could stand. He held out his hand to her, "Come on, let's get you to bed."

She gave his hand a dubious look, "Uh..." the thought of standing gave her vertigo, "Varian I don't think I can walk… I'm honestly surprised I'm sitting upright at this point." He frowned at her for a few seconds, then he grunted and reached down to pick her up. One powerful arm went under her knees while the other went around her shoulders. Jaina gave a short squeak of surprise as he effortlessly lifted her from the sofa, "Varian! Put me down!"

"Why? You just told me you can't walk," he pointed out as he headed for the door, pausing long enough to toe it open before he stepped out into the hallway.

"But," she shrank a little bit in his grasp as two of his ever present guards fell in behind them, "people are going to see us."

Varian stopped and made a ponderous face, "Oh yeah… " it immediately shifted to indifference as he continued forward with a snort, "I don't care."

She giggled, her exhaustion leaving her with the sensation of being intoxicated. Leaning her head against his shoulder, Jaina drifted in and out of sleep during the short walk down to the private wing of the Keep where the living quarters and high status guest rooms were. She woke as she was set down on something soft. Looking around sleepily, Jaina found herself not in a guest room, but in Varian's own bed. She raised a brow at him questioningly.

"What? It's safe here, and I know no one will bother you," Varian explain. "Do you need anything else?"

"Just some water please," she answered.

Varian's eyes widened a bit, "The fact that you aren't just conjuring it yourself concerns me."

Jaina looked away sheepishly, "I might not have had anything to drink… or eat… since," she paused, realizing she really had to think about it. "Uh, yesterday morning."

"What!?" Varian blanched, gaping at her in horror.

"I wasn't able to keep anything down before I went to the hospital," she admitted with a tiny voice. "Afterwards I was too preoccupied to notice."

Varian sputtered out a sound that didn't quite translate as a word, then pinched the bridge of his nose as he sighed, "I'll have a maid bring you anything you need. I'd rather you ate right now, but I think all you want to do is sleep." Jaina nodded and Varian inhaled a calming breath before he met her gaze again, "I have a break between meetings in a few hours for lunch. Think you might be up to joining me by then?"

"I'd like that," Jaina smiled.

"Good," Varian smiled a little in return, then glowered at the half open bedroom door. With a grunt, he marched over to it, slammed it closed, then whirled around and hurried back over to the bed. He immediately scooped her up in a celebratory hug and spun them both around with an elated chuckle that she couldn't help but share. Varian peppered her cheek with kisses before whispering excitedly, "We're having a baby!"

Any lingering worries vanished, replaced with tears of relief as Jaina buried her face in the crook of his neck, "I thought you were going to hate me for this."

"I could never hate you, Jaina," Varian assured her. He set her on her feet and stepped back to cup her face in one of his large hands. He frowned at the tears he found.

"Sorry," Jaina whispered meekly.

"Don't be," he insisted as he kissed a few of them away, "You'll be quick to cry for a while, or at least Tiffin was. I can't get angry at something so beyond your control." He helped her back into bed before saying, "Rest. I already have one child to worry about running all over Pandaria. Please don't make me stress about this new one on top of it." His plea was paired with a handsome smile.

"I promise I'll stay right here," Jaina chuckled as she snuggled under the blankets.

"Good," he leaned down and captured her chin in his fingers and lifted it so she looked at him. He kissed her lips softly, then growled lowly when her hand came up to brush over his cheek. Varian pressed in harder for an instant, then pulled away and cleared his throat. Jaina chuckled through half-lidded eyes as she watched him walk away.

She was asleep before the door closed.


	2. Chapter 2

Now that things have calmed down, both Varian and Jaina can sit down and talk.

* * *

A gentle caress on her cheek slowly pulled Jaina out of her deep, dreamless slumber. She looked around sleepily, searching for the source of the touch. Blurry vision settled on a large form sitting beside her on the edge of the bed. Blinking rapidly, her sight returned, finding Varian watching her with a fond look.

"Hey," he said softly, "sleep well?"

"Better than I have in a while," Jaina rasped, grimacing at the dryness in her throat. Groggily, she noticed a glass of water a maid had delivered during her nap, and reached for it. After taking a few cautious sips she said, "You're back sooner than I expected."

"Jaina, you've been asleep for almost four hours," Varian explained. "My council meeting ran late."

"Really?" she asked as she sat up, intending to look at the clock on the nightstand. Being vertical sent her head and stomach spinning, forcing her back down on the mattress with a groan.

"Should I get a healer?" Varian asked as he watched her bury her face in a pillow.

Jaina made a negative noise, "Just give me a few minutes."

A warm hand squeezed her shoulder before moving down to rub her back for a moment. Varian leaned down and dropped a kiss on her cheek, "I'll be in the other room when you're ready. Call if you need me."

Jaina nodded, relieved he was giving her some privacy to compose herself. She was able to rise a few minutes later, emerging from the bedroom with her hair still a little tousled from sleep.

Varian grinned at her appearance before pulling out a chair out from the table and motioned for her to sit. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Still can't seem to wake up though," she admitted as she sat down.

"Getting some food in you should help," Varian said as he pushed her chair in for her. He took his own and nodded at a steaming cup of tea sitting in front of her, "Wyll said you should try to drink some of that before lunch arrives."

Jaina turned her attention to the full teacup, picked it up, and took a tentative sniff.

Peacebloom tea, her favorite, along with what smelled like a healthy dose of ground Pandaren ginger. The pungent root was a new and rather effective combatant against nausea.

She looked over at Varian with a raised brow, "How did they know I needed this?"

He held up his hands innocently, "I haven't said a word."

"Mmm," Jaina said before she cautiously took a sip. The comforting taste of peacebloom blossoms flooded her senses. It was accompanied with the spicy flavor of ginger, different, but not unpleasant. She waited to see if her stomach accepted the offering.

It gave a startled lurch.

Wisely, Jaina set the cup down and reclined a little in her seat, head angled back to rest against the top of the chairback. She stared up at the ceiling, trying to keep her breathing steady and as even as possible. It wouldn't do her any good to continue losing fluids, but more importantly, she _really_ didn't want to throw up in Varian's quarters.

Warmth enveloped her left hand. Tilting her head slightly, Jaina looked down at the table to find the source. Varian's large hand covered hers, his thumb stroking over the top of her hand and knuckles. Her gaze drifted upwards to lock with his and she smiled gently. He returned it, but it didn't meet his eyes, which were filled with worry.

"I hope this isn't just a taste of what's to come," Varian said quietly in regards to her nausea. "I loathe the idea of this getting worse for you."

"I don't think so," Jaina exhaled slowly. She was pleased to find the uneasiness in her stomach was dissipating instead of building to the nauseous ache like it had over the last several days. "I think this is just the side effects from my complication yesterday coupled with neglecting myself. It's fading." She flipped her hand over to squeeze his before sitting straight and picking up her cup again. The next sip went down easier, much to her relief.

He still looked worried. Jaina nudged his foot with hers under the table, "Don't fret so much Varian, that's my thing, not yours." She tempered the light reprimand with a coy grin.

The king snorted, "Yours or not, it's my fault you've been suffering and I didn't even know it."

"Suffering is a bit extreme," Jaina said, " _Uncomfortable_ would be more appropriate." She reached over and gave Varian's shoulder a little shove, "Don't be so dramatic, I'm just as responsible for the state I'm in as you are." She tapped her lips with a finger and smirked, "If memory serves, I recall holding on and not letting go."

His eyes went distant for a moment before he cleared his throat with a small smile. "Perhaps," the expression was genuine this time as he began to relax. "And you're sure you're okay with going through with this?"

"Yes, I am," Jaina assured him. "I'm grateful you didn't push me away earlier. I _want_ this, but I _don't_ want to do it alone."

"You won't," Varian reached out a squeezed her shoulder. "I don't care what anyone else thinks, I won't abandon you."

Jaina reached up and returned the gesture, relieved at the affirmation and unable to stop the accompanying tear that snuck down her cheek. She hastily wiped it away, "Speaking of what others think, how do you think Anduin is going to react?"

Varian gave an exhausted sigh,"I tried to get him to come home for lunch today so we could tell him, but none of my contacts in Pandaria seem to be able to find him." He pinched the bridge of his nose with a grimace, "I can't decide if I'm mad at my agents for incompetence, or mad at my son for likely being neck deep in something dangerous." Varian shook his head, as if physically ridding himself of an annoyance, "To assuage your fears though, after his initial surprise, he's going to be excited."

"Truly?" Jaina raised a brow in disbelief, "I expected him to be a little upset, at least with me anyways." At Varian's frown she elaborated, "It's been just the two of you for as long as he can remember. Part of me feels like I'm invading something sacred with this unexpected… development."

"Sacred?" Varian snorted, "Hardly. This'll be a blow to what he considers normal, but it won't kill him." He paused to chuckle, "I know he teased us during Winter Veil, but it wasn't all nonsense. Anduin's expressed a desire for siblings in the past." Varian leveled a handsome smile at her, "Once the shock passes, like with me, he's going to be pleased that he finally gets one. Especially since it's from you."

"What do you mean by that?" Jaina asked after she took another sip of tea, confused by his final comment.

"Jaina, he loves you. He's far too bashful to tell you himself, but you're the closest thing he's had to a mother his whole life." Varian grinned at her blush, "You were there for Anduin when I was too stubborn to accept him for who he was." He frowned at the table, "I'll always regret what I did to him. My only solace is knowing he had you to turn to when he couldn't stand to be near me." Varian looked over at her sheepishly, a small, appreciative smile softening some of the distress on his face. "I'll always be grateful to you for that."

It was Jaina's turn to reach out and squeeze Varian's hand, smiling sweetly. A pleasant warmth tingled through her, similar to the sensation she felt after a little too much wine. It felt wonderful being appreciated like that!

Clearing his throat, Varian concluded, "So yes, once Anduin gets over the fact that his adoptive aunt and his father made a baby together, I know he'll be excited."

"That's good to know," Jaina said as she trailed a finger around the rim of her teacup.

"Speaking of tell-" Varian started to say, but halted when someone knocked on the door. A maid poked her head in, and he nodded, granting her entrance. She stepped inside with a little push cart with lunch for the both of them. The maid set a plate of hearty sandwiches in front of Varian, along with a bowl of soup.

Jaina eyed the sandwiches with trepidation until the maid placed a very different lunch in front of her. Where Varian's was befitting a man of his stature and appetite, hers was a simple bowl of chicken soup and a small plate of toast. Something much easier on her currently fickle stomach.

The maid placed an assortment of drinks in the center of the table for them and asked if they required anything else. Varian dismissed her with a shake of his head, and she was halfway to the door before Jaina stopped her, "Wait a minute."

"Yes, Lady Jaina?" The maid turned immediately and regarded her with a polite smile, "Is something not to your liking? I can have the cook prepare something else if you wish?"

"No, this is perfect," Jaina assured her. "That's my problem. Do you know what's going on?"

The maid's professional demeanor didn't waver, "Yes, Lady Jaina, His Majesty's core staff and guards are aware of the new development."

"Oh for the love of… " Jaina muttered, heart hammering in her number of people who knew what was going on had changed from three to well over fifty. "I assume you're part of his core staff?"

"Yes, of course," she nodded sagely.

Jaina leveled the maid with a threatening glare, "Don't tell _anyone else_ about this."

"Absolutely not, Lady Jaina, it's against all protocols for sensitive information to be passed from the core staff to the rest of the Keep," the maid was unphased by her threatening look. "Would you like more tea?"

"Bridget," Varian sounded exhausted.

"Yes King Wrynn?" Bridget turned to him with a bright smile.

"Go away," he rumbled, comfortable amusement lacing his voice, "Jaina might kill me if she finds out just how well informed my staff is."

"Lady Jaina would not kill you, Majesty," Bridget said with confidence. "Perhaps turn you into a sheep or other small animal and kick you down the hallway, but she would not subject you to permanent harm."

"Bridget," Varian said again as he picked up half of his sandwich.

"Yes King Wrynn?"

"Out."

"Of course, King Wrynn," Bridget bowed politely, "Enjoy your lunch." She left without another word.

Jaina was momentarily baffled by the conversation. She was well aware that Varian encouraged his staff to be frank with him, but she was rarely around to witness it in action.

He nudged her lightly with his elbow, rousing her from her thoughts, "Eat."

Obediently, Jaina tried some soup, which was perfectly hot and delicious. It also stayed put without argument. "You were starting to say something before lunch got here."

Varian munched on a bite of sandwich while he re-traced his thoughts, "Oh, I was going to ask if you ever told Kalec about Winter Veil."

"I did," Jaina answered as she trailed her spoon around in her soup, "The idea of not telling him when it looked like our relationship might be going somewhere didn't sit well with me."

"How'd he take it?"

"He's still deciding which day he's going to eat you," she answered, then snorted a laugh into her napkin at Varian's alarmed look. "I'm kidding! I'm sorry! I couldn't resist, he's not going to-yeeeakk!"

He'd smeared a bit of mustard on her cheek with his thumb in retaliation.

Scrubbing the yellow condiment off with her napkin, Jaina chuckled before continuing in a much more mellow tone, "Jesting aside, he wasn't upset to hear I'd been intimate with you. In fact, he was very glad I'd found someone to spend time with when I was so unhappy."

"That's a better response than I expected," Varian admitted. "He wasn't angry at all?"

"No. He was very pragmatic about it," Jaina explained. "He reminded me we were still at the earliest beginnings of our relationship. We hadn't pledged ourselves to each other." She poked at a floating bit of potato in her bowl before adding, "It was a surprise when he told me dragons don't actually consider casual sex with close friends as negatively impactful towards relationships."

"Hmm, makes some sense considering how long they live," Varian said.

She refrained from mentioning how curious Kalec had been after her initial confession. There had been so many questions. Had she enjoyed herself? Had Varian been nice to her? Was he gentle? Had he hurt her? Did he need to bite off a limb or two as punishment? So on and so forth. Jaina shook her head, dismissing the amusing conversation.

"I noticed you said your relationship 'might' be going somewhere. You two okay?" Varian asked. "Does he know?" He flicked his gaze down at her midsection before looking back up at her.

"I… think I've gained a friend for life, but... beyond that," Jaina sighed in disappointment. "Our relationship never really went anywhere. Kalec was, and still is, overwhelmed with securing all of the artifacts the Nexus contains. All my time has been devoted to making sure Dalaran runs smoothly, and keeping tabs on the campaign in Pandaria." Jaina slumped back in her seat, "We never had time for each other. Our lives are very different and we don't cross paths as often as we'd like." She tentatively brushed her fingertips over her stomach, "He doesn't know." Jaina paused, her expression turning sly, "Speaking of Dalaran, sending _Anduin_ to ask me about allegiances is _cheating._ You know I'd prefer to keep my city neutral in this conflict."

"I wasn't cheating," Varian insisted with a chuckle as he poured himself some iced tea. "I was merely using my resources efficiently." Jaina eyed him askance and he snickered, "It was worth a shot."

"King Wrynn, I think you were trying to take advantage of me," she said with mock offense before she ate a spoonful of soup.

"I would never," he grinned playfully before his tone turned serious. "How's the investigation going with the Divine Bell theft?"

Jaina's cheerful mood soured. The Divine Bell, an ancient artifact crafted by the Mogu centuries ago for Lei Shen's had been uncovered by Night Elven researchers. It had been taken to Darnassus for safekeeping, and the Kirin Tor assisted by fortifying its facility with protective wards.

Someone had managed to bypass those spells and make off with the powerful artifact. Trace power signatures suggested Sunreaver sabotage, "I have my suspicions, but I haven't been able to focus on it because of… uh..." she looked down at her midsection, "health issues."

Varian made a sympathetic noise, "Your wellbeing is more important."

"You might be biased," Jaina pointed out, peering at him through a rogue lock of hair.

"Damn right I am," he smirked dangerously. "You're one of my best friends, _and_ there's another possible heir to Stormwind on the way. Your health is now one of my top priorities."

"You would acknowledge it as an heir?" Jaina was surprised to hear him say those words so casually.

"Why not?" Varian asked, "I'm not about to deny it's heritage. He or she would be in line for the throne after Anduin." Varian's positive expression turned mournful, "I am… well aware of the uproar something like that will cause." Jaina made a nervous noise and he looked over at her, "Would you even want it to be an heir?"

"I don't know," Jaina answered. "I'm not sure I want to subject a child to that kind of attention. But… denying its bloodline may be seen in a worse light than acknowledging it as an heir."

Varian wrinkled his nose, "You did not speak falsely during Winter Veil when you said any child we conceive would be a political wasps nest. People are going to throw fits," he rubbed his face with his hands, "and the press is going to have a field day with this."

"I can see the headlines now," she chuckled, "'Jaina Proudmoore seduces King Wrynn to gain political favor in Stormwind.'"

The angry growl that came from Varian sounded more akin to a wolf than a man, "They'll paint you a whore while I get the equivalent of a slap on the wrist."

"Plenty of people will congratulate you for finally bedding the Proudwhore bitch." Jaina found him gaping at her and she scoffed, "Oh don't look at me like that, Varian. I've been called a multitude of unsavory things throughout my life. I'm a woman in a male dominated world. I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have without growing a thicker skin."

"It doesn't mean I have to agree with that crap," he rumbled darkly before sighing once more, "Although, with this child being a Wrynn, it'll be subjected to all of the problems my house endures. Just like Anduin, there will constantly be some kind of target on its back. Whether it's just for negative publicity, or some lunatic hellbent on killing royalty."

"Maybe you shouldn't recognize it as an heir." Jaina's frown deepened, "But... once its parentage is divulged, it won't matter whether it's an heir or not. There's always some psychopath out for blood. You and I having a new vulnerability that connects us will just be something else for them to exploit." Sighing in dismay, she set her elbows on the table and covered her face with her hands, "Light… what have we done?"

"We've done nothing wrong," Varian growled, "It's only our positions in society that is making this complicated." He reached out and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, "If anyone is stupid enough to go after our kid, they'll have to get through _us_ first. I'm sure Anduin will be a force to be reckoned with as well if his half sibling is in danger." He squeezed her arm and smiled a little, "On a less life endangerment note, the expectations put on this child are going to be astronomical."

"Not by us!" Jaina scoffed.

"No! I learned my lesson with Anduin," Varian agreed. "Children become their own people, not the person we _want_ them to be. It won't be us with expectations though. Others are going to assume incredible things from this child due to its parentage."

Jaina snorted at the idea.

"Think about it, its father is the High King of the Alliance and its mother is the most powerful mage in modern history, _and_ Grand Magus of the Kirin Tor."

"By that logic this baby should be able to take out fleets of enemy warships from its bassinet," Jaina said.

"Indeed, and leap over the highest mountains in a single bound," Varian grinned when Jaina started to giggle at the outlandish claim, "Hey, if we're lucky, it'll arrange a full diplomatic peace treaty with the Horde and fix Stormwind's park before it even leaves the womb."

"Oh, Light no!" Jaina laughed as she envisioned all of the world leaders staring at her while she was heavy with child. "I just want it happy and healthy!"

"As do I," Varian agreed, "It's just going to be a little more complicated for us to achieve that."

"I know," Jaina sighed, then chuckled drying, "The hassles of illegitimate children."

"It's not illegitimate!" Varian snapped, nearly startling her out of her seat as his light-hearted attitude instantly turned vicious.

Jaina's voice caught in her throat when she tried to respond. She had _not_ expected him to react so negatively towards the statement. Clearing her throat, she tried again, her tone low and gentle, "Varian, I was merely speaking candidly, a child born out of wedlock, nothing more. I'm sorry, I meant no offense."

Varian's hard look softened a little as he sighed deeply, running his hands through his hair in an attempt to calm himself. "Whenever I hear the phrase 'illegitimate child,' it's always paired with people who feel disdain and resentment towards it. As if those children ever have any say in their creation." He looked at her apologetically, "Forgive me, for a moment I thought you were referring to ours in the same context."

"I most certainly was _not_." Jaina said, allowing some offense to color her tone.

He grimaced, "I'm sorry, I spoke rashly. I didn't mean to scare you." Jaina watched his jaw work for a moment before he spoke again, "Children should be loved and cherished, not thrown aside because their parents are angry or ashamed of where they came from."

Realization dawned on her, "You really like children don't you?"

Varian nodded, "Had Tiffin lived, Anduin would've had many siblings."

Jaina tossed her napkin on the table and scooched her chair closer to his. Reaching out, she squeezed Varian's arm, "It's funny. Even though I can't see it or touch it, and it's too small to even have a heartbeat…" She paused and chuckled a little, "I can't put into words how much I already love this baby, Varian." Her throat tightened and her fingers clutched his sleeve, "I'm not sure what I would've done had you made me get rid of it." Jaina's other arm instinctively wrapped around her midsection in a protective manner.

Varian paled and went very still, eyes wide in alarm. Inhaling sharply, his large hand reached up, engulfing the one she had on his arm and squeezing it firmly. He empathetically shook his head, silently rejecting the idea of destroying what they'd made.

Leaning in, Jaina pressed a kiss to his cheek, wordlessly assuring him everything would be all right. He turned to face her as she pulled back, his lips brushing hers. She was momentarily thrown back to that fateful night during Winter Veil. Unlike last time though, Varian took the initiative, kissing her soundly before pulling her into his lap. Jaina responded by wrapping her arms around his neck, the intensity of the conversation evolving into a spontaneous and intimate burst of affection. Their kisses quickly became hungering as Varian clutched her to him, one hand firmly holding the base of her skull while his other arm wrapped securely around her waist.

They parted with a gasp. Jaina closed her eyes as she felt his hands begin to slowly reversed their positions. She leaned into his touch, enjoying the warmth as it caressed tenderly over the tense muscles of her back and shoulder-blades. They had seen each other a few times since Winter Veil, but it had always been in public. Jaina hadn't realized until now how much she'd missed his touch.

Varian shifted closer, leaning her back to nuzzle the underside of her jaw. The angle sent a sudden and sharp ache radiating through her lower abdomen. Jaina yelped in pain and surprise, instinctively curling forward, reversing positions in an attempt to alleviate the discomfort.

"Jaina!" Varian pulled back in alarm. She groaned and leaned against him, waiting to see if the pain increased like it had the day before.

"Hurts," she whimpered pathetically, her thoughts frightfully screeching, _No, no, please don't!_ _Please don't let something else be wrong!_

"What hurts?" He asked, voice strained. His hands held her in a way that suggested he was worried about her falling, but also afraid that holding her would cause more pain. She responded by taking one of his hands and placing it lightly over her midsection where the pain was, pressing her face into the junction of his neck and shoulder with another groan. "I'm getting a healer," Varian said as he tried to pick her up.

"No!" Jaina hissed, stopping him by squeezing his wrist. She despised the idea of another unfamiliar healer learning of her pregnancy! The warmth of his hand on her abdomen felt good, easing some of the ache almost immediately. "I think I'm just sore from yesterday." Varian made a noise of uncertainty. "Please, just give it a few minutes," Jaina insisted. "If it doesn't go away you can get a healer." Frowning, he nodded and leaned back in his seat, shifting her easily with one arm so he cradled her in his lap. The hand he had on her midsection flexed gently before doing a few small, experimental strokes.

Jaina made an appreciative humming noise, the ache slowly dissipating under the gentle motions, "And here I thought Anduin was the only one who had a healing touch in the family."

Varian's chuckle was hoarse, "I think you are overestimating my abilities." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, "I'd still like you to see a healer, even if it's just for my own peace of mind."

Jaina tensed at the idea and muttered, "I don't want another strange healer poking at me."

"You're going to have to find a regular physician eventually," Varian pointed out. "Do you know anyone you'd be comfortable with? If not, I have several on my staff who are more than qualified."

"I have one in mind already," she admitted. "I'll have to get in touch with her soon and see if she can fit me in. She's usually pretty busy." Jaina took a deep calming breath and winced, the ache returning at the motion. Her companion tensed at her expression. Sighing, she gave in, "All right, Varian, at the risk of something truly being wrong, you can send for a healer." He grunted in relief and stood, carrying her to the nearby sofa without another word.

Jaina sank into the plush cushions, watching grimly as Varian went to the door and pulled a braided cord hanging beside it. Within minutes one of his staff was at the door. He spoke with them briefly before the man hurried off with his king's request.

Varian stalked back over to the sofa and sat stiffly beside her. What had been comfortable companionship moments before was now awkward as they sat there in silence. He anxiously rubbed his left hand against his knee and fidgeted, while Jaina sat rigidly with her arms crossed over her chest.

The healer, a gnome priestess with short cropped electric blue hair and pink eyes, arrived in a timely fashion. She greeted the king first, but Varian hastily pushed her attention to Jaina. Smiling, the healer said, "Greetings, Grand Magus, my name is Mayberry. How are you today?"

Jaina waved away the formality, "Jaina is fine. What have you been told so far?"

"The staff member who fetched me only said you were experiencing abdominal pain," Mayberry answered kindly.

Sighing, Jaina explained her condition and recent complication to her. Without getting into exactly what they'd been doing to cause it, she told her about the pain in her abdomen and their concern surrounding it.

Mayberry kept a professional composure, but neither ruler missed when her eyes flicked back and forth between them, her mind putting the pieces together. When she spoke, her voice was sunny and polite, "You're right to be concerned, Lady Proudmoore. If you'd be willing to lay back on the sofa here, I should be able to get a clear look without doing anything invasive."

Varian immediately stood from where he'd reclaimed his seat beside her. Squashing the desire to whine and flee, Jaina obediently shifted and laid back on the sofa, arms crossed over her eyes as her face heated up.

She _hated_ being stared at.

"Hmm, well this won't work," Mayberry chuckled.

Jaina peered out from under her arms to find the gnomish woman could barely see over the seat cushions.

Pink eyes looked up at Varian, "My apologies King Wrynn, but might I bother you for a chair?" He grabbed one of the chairs by the table and plunked it down beside her. Mayberry thanked him before clambering up so she could stand at a more appropriate height, "Phew! It's always so hard to find reasonably sized furniture around here!"

A giggle began to bubble up as Jaina grinned, "And you're in Varian's quarters, everything here is _huge_."

"Indeed," Mayberry agreed with an empathetic nod.

"I think I'm being picked on," Varian sniffed in mock disdain as he leaned on the side of the sofa. Jaina poked her tongue out at him, a gesture he returned in a way that made him look more like a boy than a king.

Mayberry watched them for a moment, an odd, tiny smile on her face, "All right, hold still for me so I can take a peek," she said as she rubbed her hands together.

Jaina took a calming breath as she covered her eyes with her arms again. A tingling warmth enshrouded her lower abdomen, swirling painlessly for a few minutes before the healer spoke up, "Hmm, there's some swelling and inflammation around the rupture scarring. Not unusual considering how recent it is. Nothing to worry about unless it gets worse. If it does, or you start bleeding again, come get me or a healer you're comfortable with immediately."

"Anything else to be concerned with?" Varian asked gruffly, the earlier silliness having faded during the healer's examination.

Jaina swallowed as she watched the blackness behind her eyelids. Mayberry was quiet for a moment as she looked to see if anything was amiss.

"Everything else is exactly where it should be, and looks just fine," she answered. "Mom is a little dehydrated, but as long as she isn't overly nauseated, that should be easily remedied."

"She was earlier, but she seems better now," Varian answered.

"I'm sitting right here you know," Jaina said as she lifted her arms and picked her head up. She found Varian smiling smugly at her.

"I'm prescribing rest and fluids," Mayberry said as she dismissed her healer's sight. "No dragon slaying or saving the world for at least a week. Preferably not at all until after your little bundle of joy gets here." She clapped her hands together, as if she were dusting them off, "Anything else I can do for you?" Mayberry eyed Jaina with a nefarious look, "Have you been given a book list yet?"

"Book list?" Jaina perked up at the question, only half hearing a chuckle rumble quietly from Varian. Righting herself and conjuring a notepad and pen, Jaina quickly wrote down titles as Mayberry named them off for her. She was grinning by the time the list was finished.

New books! Oh how she loved books!

Dismissing the notepad to a dimensional pocket for safe keeping, Jaina looked up and found Varian regarding her with a fond look she'd never seen on his face before. "What?" She asked, but he merely shook his head and chuckled. Looking back at Mayberry, she found her watching them again with the same odd little smile she'd had earlier. She too chuckled before asking, "Is there anything else you need?"

"No, I think we're satisfied nothing's wrong, I'm just sore," Jaina answered as she looked over at Varian for confirmation. He gave a brusque nod.

"Precisely, so be sure to rest and relax," Mayberry said before turning and hopping off the chair. "Oh, and no funny business for at least a week." She waggled a finger at them. Varian cleared his throat while a blush burned over Jaina's cheeks. Smiling, Mayberry let herself out, leaving the two rulers alone once more.

Running his fingers through his hair, Varian reclaimed his seat next to her and said, "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too," Jaina agreed, "although, I'm not terribly excited about the idea of being rushed to a healer for every ache and pain I feel."

"Things will settle down after a while," he assured her. "The first few weeks are still delicate and tenuous. It's very easy for something to go wrong." Varian paused to chuckle, "I was like a cat stuck atop a lamppost during the earlier parts of Tiffin's pregnancy with Anduin." He looked over with an apologetic smile, "You'll forgive me if I'm on edge for a while?"

Jaina returned the smile. Varian was truly concerned for her wellbeing, "Only if you'll forgive me for being cross about it. I'm used to fending for myself and doing things on my own terms."

"Your independence is something I've always admired about you, Jaina," he told her. "I'd never try to take that from you." Varian pursed his lips in thought, "However, like Mayberry, I will be strongly advising you to take it easy."

"Fair," Jaina nodded. Sighing, another question entered her mind, making her timid and shy, "Um...are… are we okay?"

Varian blinked down at her and raised a brow in confusion.

"I mean… us… our… relationship," she stammered. "How is this going to affect us?"

"Jaina, I already told you, I'm not angry and I'm not going to send you away," he soothed.

"That's not what I mean," Jaina shook her head. Their intimacy during Winter Veil had deepened their friendship considerably, but there had been an unspoken 'no strings attached' agreement accompanying it. "Where are we going to go from here?"

"If you're speaking of marriage, that's not something I want to jump into immediately," Varian told her, then paused for a moment as he considered something, "However, at the risk of sounding foolish, I wouldn't be averse to giving _us_ a try."

"Us? Y-you mean?" Jaina's heart hammered in her chest and felt her cheeks heat up. "I… I'd never really-"

The rest of her sentence was interrupted by a commotion in the hallway outside Varian's room. His guards began shouting, and the sounds of a scuffle followed until the door burst open. A tangled pile of guards and a dwarven woman crashed to the floor in a clatter of armor and halberds. The dwarf wrestled herself free of them with a gasp, "A thousand pardons, your Majesty!" She halted all at once at the sight of them on the sofa.

"What is the meaning of this?" King Wrynn growled as he rose from his seat.

The dwarven woman shook her head, as if ridding herself of any unnecessary thoughts, and held out a piece of tattered parchment towards him. "It's an emergency!"

Varian snatched the note from her hand. Opening it, he quickly read its contents.

Then he went very still, and the color drained from his face.

"Varian?" Jaina asked after a few tense seconds of silence.

He didn't answer.

Standing gingerly, Jaina reached out and touched his arm, gently trying to gain his attention. He shuddered hard and his hand came around, offering her the note. What she read stopped her heart.

 _Anduin was attacked by Garrosh. He's mortally wounded. Come with all haste._

 _~ Admiral Taylor_

"Where is he?" Jaina asked the dwarf, her voice strained and heavy.

"In the Keep at Lion's Landing," she answered. "He-"

Jaina didn't wait for her to finish. Varian was finally looking at her, silently begging for help. Her grip on his arm tightened as she took one step closer, teleporting them to Lion's Landing without a second thought.

They appeared in a hallway within the Keep. Jaina's vision grayed out and sparkled at the edges. The roar in her ears was deafening. Her world tilted as she tried to take a step forward, sending her crashing into something hard and unyielding before she collapsed to the floor.

She felt hands on her shoulder, Varian's voice distant and unclear.

"Go to him, Varian!" Jaina scolded, "I'll be all right!"

"I can't leave you like this," he growled, still sounding farther away than he should have.

"Anduin could be dying!" Jaina rasped as he propped her up against what she assumed was the wall she'd crashed into. She was still blind, but her hearing was returning to normal. "Leave me here and go. He's more important!"

Varian growled again, clearly torn between going to his son, or remaining with her and the child she carried. "Come on, we can both make it." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and effortlessly lifted her to her feet. Jaina staggered, but he held her securely to his side. Blinking rapidly, her vision slowly returned as they took uneasy steps down the hallway.

By the time they made it to Admiral Taylor's office, much of Jaina's faculties had returned. She stopped Varian before they entered, stepping away from his side to stand under her own power. She rolled her shoulders and straightened her robes before nodding at him. He nodded in kind, then knocked on the admiral's door. It opened after a moment and Taylor looked out.

"High King Wrynn," he seemed surprised to see him, "I wasn't expecting you to arrive so quickly."

"Distance has little meaning with a mage at my side," Varian answered as he shrugged a shoulder at Jaina. "What has happened to my son?"

"From what Fennie and several adventurers explained, he met Garrosh out on one of the Mogu Terraces in Kun-Lai," Taylor explained as he opened the door farther to admit them. "Garrosh had the Bell."

Jaina bristled and clenched her teeth. The theft of the Divine Bell from Darnassus had been a major reason why she'd ignored her own health issues for so long. The life changing discovery of her pregnancy had temporarily put the investigation on the back burner. Now the perpetrator was clear. "So the Horde _was_ responsible for the theft."

Taylor nodded, "Prince Anduin must've have suspected such a thing as well and wanted a contingency plan. With some assistance, he reconstructed an artifact called The Harmonic Mallet. It was originally designed to counter the Divine Bell. As its name implies, striking the bell with this special mallet harmonizes the dissonant soundwaves that agitate and summoned the Sha. He was going to stop Garrosh from using it." He led them to a more concealed area of his office where. Anduin was there, lying on a pallet, unconscious and swathed in bandages. "He succeeded, but Garrosh shattered the Bell while the prince was standing beneath it."

Jaina gasped upon seeing him, "Anduin!" Blinking back tears, she hurried over and dropped to her knees, sending spells rolling over him to assess the damage.

"He confronted Garrosh? Alone?" Varian looked down at his son's prone form, "Anduin… what were you thinking?"

Relief filled Jaina as her spells came back with what they found, but it was tempered with dismay, "He's alive, but his bones are shattered."

"Aye, the Mistweavers and healers we have here exhausted themselves repairing the damage to his crushed organs," Admiral Taylor said, "He's heavily medicated so he can sleep through the worst of his pain. It's a miracle he survived long enough for our people to get to him. I have more healers enroute. Are there others you would wish me to send for?"

"Prophet Velen," Varian growled. "Bring him here at once."

Taylor nodded and left to find someone capable of the task.

Fury sang through Jaina's veins. How _dare_ Garrosh attack Anduin! Varian's son, her nephew! The bright and gentle soul who only wanted peace!

She stood and turned to Varian, all evidence of her earlier infirmity vanished in her rage. "My King, I swear, the Kirin Tor will come down so hard on Garrosh his _ancestors_ will reel _. Blood will pay for blood._ " She did not see it, but fire sparked to life around her clenched fists, whirling and flaring in time with her pulse.

"Jaina, we just had this conversation, the Kirin Tor are a neutral party in this war," Varian said.

"Not anymore," she growled as she looked back down at Anduin. "I'm aligning Dalaran with the Alliance. If the Horde believes they can behave this way and get away with it, then they'll feel my _wrath_." The flames spread from her fists to the wreath around her body, flaring bright and wildly.

She was going to _kill_ Garrosh for this.

"Jaina, wait," Varian carefully stepped forward, eyeing the fire with trepidation. "You need to calm down."

" _Calm down_? Garrosh nearly killed your son!" She snapped, "Don't you _care_?!"

"Of course I care! Don't you _EVER_ imply that I don't!" Lo'Gosh roared back in her face.

"Good," Jaina smirked, pleased to have finally roused his ire. She looked back at Anduin one last time letting his broken form fill her heart with fury before she turned and began to walk away. "See to your son, I have a work to do."

"Jaina wait!" Varian said once more.

She looked back at him over her shoulder and hissed, "Don't go soft on me now, Wrynn." She teleported away without another word.


	3. Chapter 3

Varian clamors his way out of the friend zone with the same grace and tact of the kool-aid man.

* * *

Varian stared at the spot where Jaina had vanished with a mix of anger and apprehension. She'd purposefully roused his ire in hopes of compelling him to retaliate against the Horde. He was furious with her, and a little hurt, at both her comments and her actions.

She wasn't wrong either. There was a very loud part of his mind screaming for blood, to mete out punishment for the atrocious crimes that had been committed.

Inhaling sharply, Varian held his breath for a few second before releasing it, counting to ten as he went. Falling prey to Jaina's manipulation would only add fuel to the fire and cause more harm than good. Instead, he focused on what brought him to Pandaria in the first place.

Anduin.

Varian turned and strode back to his son's prone form. Sitting on the floor beside him, he instinctively went to brush his fingers through Anduin's messy blond hair. His hand stopped an inch away from his head, rethinking the action. Anduin's skin, what wasn't sheathed in soft bandaging, was horribly bruised and swollen. Touching it would be excruciating, and carried the possibility of aggravating any broken bones or torn muscles that lay beneath.

Sighing, Varian dropped his hand back in his lap and satisfied himself with watching the rise and fall of Anduin's chest. His steady breaths were comforting, a positive sign that his beloved son still lived.

At least now he knew why Anduin couldn't be found earlier. Varian shook his head. What could've gotten into his head that made Anduin believe he could take on Garrosh by himself?

Varian had faced off with Garrosh a few times in the past. Once had been in the Violet Tower while in the company of Rhonin, Jaina, and Thrall. They'd been there to discuss what Brann Bronzebeard has discovered in Ulduar and the threat it carried. Both Varian and Garrosh had thrown insults at each other until they'd clashed weapons. He winced at the recollection. Jaina'd been shoved nearly into a wall by Garrosh during their short encounter. He'd been indifferent about it at the time, but now it bothered him.

It hadn't been one of his finest moments. Varian acted like a fool. Fortunately, Rhonin had managed to subdue them before any permanent damage could be done.

Another time Varian had almost won, nearly preventing so much future loss and devastation. Instead, a dead magnataur had fallen between them, and a wounded Garrosh had been able to escape.

The last and most recent encounter was right after Theramore had been destroyed. Varian's fleet of ships had engaged the Horde outside Northwatch Hold. He and Garrosh had clashed briefly on the deck of his ship before it, and many other ships from both factions, were destroyed by an enslaved kraken. By the time he had been plucked from the water by Kalecgos and Jaina, Garrosh had disappeared.

Varian had learned several things from his encounters with Garrosh. He was hideously strong by orcish standards, relentless, vicious, and did whatever it took to see victory was ensured. Even enslaving elementals and wildlife, bombing entire cities, and crushing children under ancient bells.

A groan from beside him startled Varian from his thoughts. Looking down, he watched his son's eyes flutter open. "Anduin," he whispered, joy surging through him at seeing him awake.

Blue eyes blinked at him for a moment before Anduin made a worried noise, mumbling, "'M n'trouble."

Varian snorted a laugh, pleased to see his son not only recognized him, but remembered what happened. "Yes, you're damn right you're in trouble, but I think your injuries are more than enough punishment." Anduin tried to respond, but his father stopped him with a motion of his hand. Anduin's face was swollen in several places, very likely the signs of a broken jaw. Speaking would be terribly painful. "Just rest, Son. I am angry with you, but not as much as I'm _relieved_ to see you alive." He leveled him with an appropriate frown, "You nearly scared the life out of us."

"Us?" Anduin mumbled.

"Jaina and myself," he clarified.

"'Nt Jn'a hur?"

"I'm going to assume you asked, 'Aunt Jaina's here?'" Varian clarified, to which his son made an affirmative noise. "She was here, but left a short time ago. We were having lunch together when word came about what happened to you. Jaina brought me here without prompting." He frowned as he remembered what the teleport had done to her, and why it affected her so badly in the first place.

Anduin seemed to deflate a little when he was told his favorite aunt wasn't there to see him.

The frown Varian wore tugged up a little at the thought of the monumental discovery that morning. Anduin could use some good news, "Son, do you remember when you told me you wanted siblings?" He watched Anduin's eyes flick back and forth as his drugged mind recalled the incident. Finally, he made an affirmative noise, and Varian asked, "Do you still want them?"

"Mmhmm," Anduin answered positively.

Varian grinned, "Good, becau-" he cut off at the sound of the office door opening. Rising to his feet, Varian grimaced as he reached for a weapon that wasn't there. Fortunately, the faces that greeted him were Admiral Taylor and, blessedly, High Prophet Velen. He bowed to the ancient draenei, "Prophet, thank you for coming so quickly."

"I do not need thanks, King Wrynn," Velen smiled gently. "Where is your son? I would see to his injuries as soon as possible."

Varian stepped aside to allow the elderly draenei access to the area where Anduin lay.

Kneeling down, Velen set his staff on the ground beside him and murmured a small prayer. Light bathed over the prince, who immediately relaxed as the healing energies alleviated more of his pain. After a few tense moments, Velen spoke, "Mmmm, the healers who saw to him first did an exceptional job. All of Prince Anduin's internal organs are in good condition, perhaps a few bruises here and there. He has no severe head trauma, just a cracked cheekbone and jaw. His spine is whole and miraculously undamaged."

Varian exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His son wasn't crippled or mentally impaired!

"Much of the bones throughout his body are broken," Velen continued, "but his ribs have been fused so he can breathe easier. I'll get him stable enough to move, then we should find him a more appropriate setting to rest and recover in."

"I am grateful for whatever aid you can give my son, High Prophet," Varian said.

"The Light favors Prince Anduin, High King," the ancient draenei smiled. "I will do the best I can for him."

It took Velen over an hour before he was confident Anduin could be safely moved without harm. He had been slow and meticulous, making sure vital areas of bone and muscle were safely able to bear minimal amounts of weight and stress. This would reduce the risk of dislocated joints or additional strains during the journey to the Temple of the Seven Stars. It was the closest place in Pandaria that was well away from violence and Horde activity.

Once Velen declared that Anduin had received all the healing his body could handle for the day, he summoned two of his personal mages to assist in moving him. One of the slender draenei women levitated Anduin off the palette, creating a soft arcane platform that acted as a backboard, stabilizing his body while it floated weightlessly in the air. The other opened a portal to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, widening it so they could bring an appropriate retinue of guards through to protect the injured prince.

Anduin had been given another dose of painkillers for the trip, and the effects were becoming apparent. He giggled at the weightless sensation of the levitation spell, and regular sounds of 'weeeeeee' could be heard as they walked through the halls of the Temple of the Seven Stars. Most of the entourage chuckled at Anduin's drugged antics, pleased to have him alive and a little goofy over dead and silent.

Varian heaved a huge sigh of relief when Anduin was finally settled safely in his room. He'd fallen asleep not long after being tucked into bed, exhausted from his injuries and the events of the day. Frustratingly, Varian hadn't been able to inform his son about his future sibling, and promised to do so the next time he was conscious and cognizant.

The vow drew his attention back to the woman responsible for those thoughts. Worry sprang anew. In her fury, Varian knew Jaina would stop at nothing to get the job done, even neglecting her own needs to do so.

He needed to check on her.

Once he found a suitable guardian for Anduin, Varian tracked down the nearest mage and requested a portal to Dalaran. The hole in reality opened and he stepped out onto the high terrace of the Violet Tower. From this vantage point, Varian could look out over most of the floating nation. The City of Mages sparkled in shimmering purple and ivory hues in the late afternoon sun.

It was also a city in chaos.

Rushing to the ornate parapets at the edge of the terrace, Varian watched as Silver Covenant forces chased down groups of Horde citizens. Some fought back, sending magical explosions around the immediate area as they tried to escape their pursuers. Others surrendered peacefully, although Varian winced as a Silver Covenant guard brutally jabbed a blood elf in the face with the butt of her weapon.

"That was uncalled for," he murmured, watching as the elf was dragged away.

"Indeed. The entire city is in an uproar," came a feminine voice from Varian's left.

Looking over, he found a tall woman of uncertain age with a long silver ponytail watching the activity unfold. Unlike Varian however, she watched with a calm, calculated demeanor that betrayed great martial skill. Recognition dawned, "Archmage Modera."

"King Wrynn," she acknowledged with a polite bow of her head before returning her gaze to the city below, "I heard what happened to Prince Anduin. How does he fair?"

"My son lives," Varian answered. "What is happening here?"

"Archmage Proudmoore tracked down the means by which Garrosh was able to steal the Divine Bell," Modera answered, her lips curling into a sneer. "Aethas Sunreaver, one of our council members, looked the other way while Garrosh's agents slipped into Darnassus with our own portal system."

"Betrayal from within," Varian grimaced.

Modera nodded "Aethas has been arrested and the Horde is being purged. The Grand Magus no longer trusts them here in the city. The Council is in full agreement."

"An extreme decision," he observed, to which Modera nodded. A scream nearby made them both jump and look in the opposite direction. There was a rumbling noise, followed by a fiery explosion several blocks away. Gritting his teeth, Varian returned his attention to Modera, "Where is Jaina? I must speak with her."

Without looking at him, Modera pointed down into the city towards two conspicuously large blue blobs, massive water elementals, bobbing their way down the street. A slim figure with shimmering white hair walked between them. "She is spearheading the Purge."

Varian felt his stomach clench as his diplomatic mask cracked. Not a handful of hours ago, Jaina had been half conscious in one of his parlors. She needed to be resting! Not marching through a city being assaulted, "She has to stop!"

Modera finally looked over and arched a brow at him, "Grand Magus Proudmoore's participation in the removal of the Horde drives the severity of their crimes home. Forgive my candor, but your opinion means little in the matter of Dalaran's national security."

"That is not what I meant," Varian growled as he studied the distance and throngs of people amassed between himself and Jaina. His heart nearly seized as he watched flashes of magic explode around her, followed by a tidal wave of violet energy before she disappeared around a corner. Looking back at Modera, Varian worked his jaw for a moment before saying, "I must ask for your discretion in a matter of great importance to me."

Unlike him, Modera's mask of calm remained unwavering as she studied him, giving away nothing of her own internal thoughts. After an agonizing moment, she finally nodded, "You have it."

Varian stepped closer, "Jaina is with child."

Modera's eyes widened in surprise, "Does that have anything to do with what happened to her yesterday?"

Grunting an affirmative he said, "She nearly lost it, but it's been taken care of."

"Taken care of?" Modera probed.

"Saved, but she needs to rest!"

"I see, and by the growing urgency on your face, I take it you are the father?" Modera queried.

Varian glowered at her for a few seconds. When the usual intimidating gesture proved ineffective on the archmage, he grunted another affirmative.

For a moment, Modera's diplomatic mask evaporated, replaced by huge smile and sparkling eyes, "This raises far more questions than answers!" She was serious again in the blink of an eye, "It also changes things considerably." Looking out over the city, Modera murmured a spell and her eyes glowed. She blinked it away quickly and stepped back from the parapet, opening a portal. "This will drop you off in an alley Jaina should be passing soon. If anyone can stop her, you can." Varian nodded and turned to step through the portal, but Modera stopped him. "One last thing, Wrynn."

He looked back over his shoulder, "Hm?"

She grinned broadly, "Congratulations."

Varian was powerless to stop the smile that split his features. "Thanks," he said before stepping through the portal.

Landing in the alley, he turned around in time to watch a massive water elemental pass by. Varian waited for it to move farther away before dashing out and grabbing Jaina by the arm. He was both pleased and alarmed that he was able to drag her all the way into the alley and press her back against the wall, covering her mouth before she could react. Swallowing hard, Varian fearfully watched the fire laced hand aimed at his head, praying she'd distinguish friend from foe before blowing his face off.

Fortunately, recognition dawned on Jaina's face, halting her struggle, and her glowing hand fell to her side. "What are you doing here?" She hissed in outrage as Varian released her.

"Checking on you," he answered, "Jaina you have to stop this."

"Dalaran is my city, Varian!" She snapped, "I'm doing what's right for the safety of my people and the Alliance!"

"I don't give a _rat's_ _ass_ about Dalaran or the Alliance right now," Varian growled back, finding difficult to remain calm, "I'm here because I'm worried about _you!"_ She paused, looking at him in confusion. Swallowing hard, Varian placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed gently, "Jaina, you're having a baby. You were in the hospital because of it _yesterday._ You couldn't _stand_ _this morning_. Light help me, the healer told you to _rest!_ " The grip on her shoulders tightened, dread building in the pit of his stomach as he stared into her angry blue eyes. "You can't push yourself like this." He leaned in and pressed his forehead to hers, the thought of losing their child made his heart ache. " _Please_ Jaina, you must stop, you have to rest." She tensed and his eyes snapped open, preparing for another argument.

Jaina glared at him for what felt an eternity.

Then the tension vanished all at once and she wilted against the filthy alley wall. Varian grimaced at the sight before flipping them around so his back was to the wall while she relaxed against him.

"M'sorry, you're right," Jaina said in exhaustion. "I just… I keep seeing Anduin laying there. It made me so angry I couldn't see straight." She swallowed and buried her face in his chest, her hands clutching the fabric of his shirt, "How is he?"

"He's resting," Varian answered as he watched the two water elementals come up to form a blockade at the entrance of the alley. "We moved him to the Temple of the Seven Stars. It's safer there, less prone to skirmishes. Velen has assured me he's going to live."

"Thank the Light,"Jaina exhaled, the ragged sob turning into a painful moan as her arm came up around her midsection. "M'alright," she gasped when he stiffened in alarm, "just sore."

"You are certain you're not hurt?" Varian asked as he began looking her over, searching for wounds. She was a little dirty and her clothes had a few singe marks on them, but he couldn't find any obvious injuries or smell blood.

"M'alright," Jaina repeated sluggishly as she sagged against him. "I didn't realize how exhausted I was until you made me stop moving."

Varian sighed in relief, tilting his head back to rest against the wall as his eyes fell closed. The day had been a whirlwind of secrets, surprises, and abject terror. Holding Jaina was calming and deeply comforting. He lifted his head to look down at her, suddenly very aware of how her body rested against his.

Jaina leaned against him with her back facing the alley entrance, shielding her from the view of the city beyond it. Varian's right arm had come around behind her to hold her with his hand on her ribcage. The other hand had unconsciously come to rest on her lower abdomen. The longer he watched, the more mesmerized he became by watching her breathe. Each inhale held him transfixed, his hands hyper aware of even the slightest change beneath them.

"I think I need to lay down," she said suddenly.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Varian sneered at their surroundings, "Do you think you can open a portal to Pandaria? If you can't I'll carry you to the portal hubs."

"M'too heavy to carry...," Jaina slurred with a drunken like chuckle, "… c'n portal." She stepped away and swayed precariously. Varian reached out to steady her with a start. Blinking rapidly, Jaina shook her head to clear it, "Sorry." She cleared her throat and brought her hands up to where Varian's rested on her shoulders. Giving them a firm squeeze, Jaina stepped back once more and cast her spell, a portal whirling open to reveal the terrace outside The Temple of the Seven Stars.

The water elementals standing guard evaporated into mist, obscuring the portal as both leaders stepped through. Once on the other side, Varian immediately wrapped a protective arm around her, not caring who saw them. Jaina looked worn, almost gaunt, as she limped along beside him. He knew it was only years of discipline to maintain appearances that kept her from collapsing. Whispered words of encouragement seemed to perk her up as they walked to the large suite of rooms Varian had been allocated when he'd arrived earlier with Anduin.

When they were safely behind closed doors, Varian, for the second time that day, picked Jaina up and carried her to one of the empty bedrooms. She did not protest.

"I'm going to have to apologize," he said after he'd gotten her into bed. He sat down on the mattress beside her, "I had to tell Modera about…" a grin threatened as he indicated her midsection, "... _that_ when I was trying to find you. She's promised not to say anything."

"S'okay," Jaina said as she reached out and placed her hand over one of his. "I found out what happened. Garrosh sent people into Darnassus by way of our portal systems in Dalaran. Aethas," she paused as a look of unbridled fury flashed across her face, "he knew it was going to happen, but he looked the other way."

"I know," Varian stopped her, "Modera told me."

"Oh," her small hand squeezed his much larger one, "I'm sorry, Varian."

"You didn't know I'd spoken in detail with her, it's fine," he chuckled.

"That's not it," she stopped him, squeezing his hand harder, "I mean Anduin, he confronted Garrosh with the idea that peace could solve everything. With the belief that _that thing_ would listen. This is my fault. Anduin almost died because of nonsense _I_ put in his head!"

"This was _not_ your fault!" Varian growled loudly, startling her. He sat back, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly, willing himself to relax. When he started again, he was calmer, "What happened wasn't your fault, Jaina. Anduin is old enough now to make his own decisions, and bear the consequences of his actions." He grimaced, "And you didn't fill his head with nonsense. You showed him there were other ways of solving problems other than through acts of violence. It's a lesson I wish I'd learned when I was his age, not just a short time ago. It might've saved us both a lot of headaches."

"Peace doesn't work," Jaina insisted.

"Not all the time, no," Varian amended, "It takes a good eye and a lot of experience to know when a situation calls for diplomacy, or when a show of force is necessary." He sighed, surprised to hear himself say such a thing. "This isn't exactly how I'd hoped Anduin would learn that lesson, but I guarantee you he'll never act so rashly again."

"You're far too calm about all the this, Varian Wrynn," Jaina said flatly without moving her head from her pillow.

"Want to know a secret?" Varian asked, and Jaina's brow furrowed in confusion. Taking that as a yes, the king leaned down as whispered conspiratorially, "I'm _really_ good at faking it." Jaina scoffed immediately and he chuckled, "Jaina, this morning I found out I was going to be a father again during a… uh… oh shit." Varian sputtered as his train of thought derailed.

"What's wrong? Other than the obvious," Jaina asked, finding strength somewhere to push herself onto one elbow.

"Were you aware that I was in a meeting when you 'o so delicately found me this morning?" Varian asked. Jaina winced and nodded apologetically, "That was supposed to be a secret meeting, between Lor'themar Theron and myself."

"Lor'themar? What in the Light's name were you doing in a meeting with _him_?" Jaina asked venomously.

Varian frowned, "Jaina, Lor'themar, in fact most of the Horde, is very aware of how dangerous Garrosh has become. They aren't just blindly following him like lemmings. Lor'themar has been talking with me about moving the Sin'dorei allegiances back to the Alliance. His people are being used as shields and cannon fodder while Garrosh sits within the safety of Orgrimmar." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing just how badly things had been damaged. Looking over at Jaina, Varian was surprised to find she'd become paler than she already was.

"And I just laid blame on the Sunreavers and purged Dalaran," Jaina whispered.

"Mm," Varian rumbled, then gave an exasperated sigh, "Well, that's botched." He paused and felt an odd look come over his face. "Huh… this must be how you've felt whenever I've sabotaged any of your plans."

Jaina stared at him with a deadpan expression, "Only all the time."

Varian grimaced, "I'm sorry."

Swallowing, Jaina shook her head sadly, "I'm the one who should be apologizing for my behavior. I just... I saw Anduin laying there, and that was awful on its own." Her arm wrapped protectively around her midsection as she whispered, "Then I thought… what if that happened to ours? I was horrified and livid." She trembled with unshed tears of fear and outrage.

Varian scooted forward and wrapped her up in an embrace, shielding her from the world, "It's okay," he soothed gently. "It's safe with you and me. Anduin is going to be okay too, with time."

He could feel her fingers clutching his tunic as she whispered, "I understand why you were always so furious before. Anduin is all you have, and everything seems to be trying to take him from you." She pressed her face into the crook of his neck.

Varian rumbled in agreement, "Now you know why it's been so difficult for me to let him be more independent. I know he has to be, it's part of growing up, but it's hard when his life is constantly in danger." He inhaled deeply, "There is one bright spot though." Jaina pulled away and gave him a curious look. Varian reached between them and laid his hand gently over where their child rested, smiling, "I don't _just_ have Anduin anymore." Jaina blushed, but a little grin slowly made its way onto her lips before she bashfully ducked her head away from his gaze.

"Are you okay?" She asked after a moment, "This has been a hell of a day with everything else that's happened, not including…." Jaina placed her hand over his.

"Honestly," said Varian, "I'm fighting between the desire to go find Garrosh and smear his face all over the ground, _or_ picking you and Anduin up and _hiding_ the three of you somewhere so you're safe and stop getting into trouble."

"Getting in trouble? I rarely get into trou… wait… oh no," Jaina's eyes went wide as she looked down at her stomach. "I've always said Wrynn blood attracts trouble! I'm having your baby!" She looked back up at him, "I've been infected with Wrynn blood, no!" Dramatically, she flopped back down on the mattress as if to faint.

The king threw his head back with a great belly laugh. It took several minutes for him to calm down before he was able to look over at her, laughter still bubbling up between words, "I hope you don't expect me to be sorry, because I'm not." Varian calmed with a sigh, feeling a bit better now that some of the tension he'd been carrying had been released through laughter.

Jaina was watching him with a tired smile.

"You need to rest," Varian said, his hand still hadn't moved from where he'd placed it on her lower abdomen.

"I know," she frowned, "there's just a lot to think about."

"Modera knows what's going on and has promised discretion on her part. She and the rest of the Council of Six will take care of Dalaran," Varian assured her. "On more personal matters, Anduin is in good hands with the healers here and Velen will be visiting regularly to help."

"And… us?" Jaina asked. "You… suggested something before we were interrupted earlier." She looked at him timidly, "Were you serious about giving… _us_ a try?"

"Yes, I was," he answered.

"But rulers of separate nations aren't supposed to…" Jaina swallowed and blushed as she finished her sentence, "...court."

"We're also not supposed to share a bed and make babies together," Varian chuckled as Jaina blushed harder and covered her face with her hands, "Would you even be interested in the idea?"

"I...I'm..." she stammered before redirecting the question with a tiny voice, "Are you?"

"I wouldn't be offering if I wasn't," Varian assured her.

Jaina inhaled sharply and held it for so long he thought he was going to having to instruct her to breathe again. Finally, she exhaled with a very bashful, " _Oh."_

Varian swore internally. Jaina Proudmoore was utterly adorable when flustered!

Clearing his throat, he told her, "I won't force you if you aren't interested."

"I um...I...I'm," Jaina stuttered, "but… _why?_ " The last word was pitched high in a childlike voice.

"Why what?"

"Whyareyouinterested?" She asked at breakneck speed.

"For the same reasons I said during Winter Veil," Varian answered as he leaned down. He quickly broke the tension by pecking her on the cheek, "I care about you," he reminded her. Feeling daring, Varian let his lips ghost down over her skin to kiss the underside of her jaw before he whispering, "You're brilliant," he placed another kiss just below her ear, "powerful," the next one went lower, "and stunningly beautiful." The final one found the pulsepoint of her throat.

Jaina stared frozen and unblinking at the ceiling, her face a startling shade of red. He chuckled quietly to himself. She had done the exact same thing to him the morning after Winter Veil.

"Think about it," Varian kissed her cheek once more before sitting up. He wanted this to work, but he wouldn't push her into something she wasn't ready for. Instead, he left the offer open like a door. If Jaina decided she wanted it, all she had to do was step through, "Rest for now."

Varian went to stand, but her hand caught his, pulling him back, "Wait." Patiently, he sat beside her once more. "I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be coy, I just," Jaina paused as she searched for the words she wanted, "I'm frightened."

"Why?"

"Because," Jaina sat up gingerly, "I don't have a lot of people left in my life that I care for. What if it doesn't work? We could end up _hating_ each other." The frown she wore deepened as she looked at her lap, "I can't bare the idea of losing you like that."

Varian touched the underside of her chin with his fingers, gently coaxing her to look at him, "I don't care for the idea of us hating each other either, but… I would much rather try and fail than never trying at all."

"But, what about Tiffin?" She asked timidly.

"I still love Tiffin, and I miss her every day," Varian admitted, a familiar ache welling in his heart. He could still feel her absence, even after fifteen years. "But loving her doesn't mean I'm not interested in started a relationship with you." Instead of being reassured, Jaina's expression looked even more uncomfortable. "What's wrong?"

"I feel like I would be disrespecting her and her memory," she answered. "I could never take her place."

"You wouldn't be taking her place, Jaina," he said, "Did you ever meet Tiffin?"

"No," Jaina shook her head. "I always knew she was a sensitive topic. I never brought it up out of respect."

Varian gave a very small chuckle, "I appreciate it." He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, "How much do you know of her?"

"Very little. From sparse conversations I've learned you were betrothed very young, and disliked each other for much of your childhood." Jaina recalled, "You grew to love each other in time. I remember the people of Stormwind saying how she was much loved, and sadden when she was killed."

Varian grimaced as he unintentionally relived the memory of the day his wife died. "Tiffin was by nature a gentle soul, and before Anduin was born, she was the only one who could keep my nasty temper in check." He looked up at Jaina, "When I first met you officially, as the ruler of Theramore, I had to work very hard not to stare. You and Tiffin are much alike, in attitude and appearance. In another life, you two could have been sisters."

"This is not making me feel any better Varian," Jaina sounded hurt, "The way you speak it's as if any affection you have for me is misplaced."

"You didn't let me finish," Varian said quickly, silently cursing himself. Why was he always terrible at this kind of conversation? "You two are also very different." The look she gave him urged him to continue. "While I wouldn't have considered Tiffin frail or unintelligent, she could run theoretical circles around our best financial officers with her knowledge of economics, she wasn't like you Jaina. You're powerful, in both magical presence and intellect. Tiffin wasn't shallow, but there's a greater… depth to you. You've seen and experienced more. In some ways, I relate far better to you than I ever could with her."

"I've lived longer," Jaina soothed. "Had she survived, you two would have experienced many things together."

"But she didn't," Varian looked at his hands. Tiffin had been stolen from away from him, slain by a thrown paving stone meant for him. Anger simmered, an old companion whenever Tiffin's death was on his mind. There was no way for him to know what their lives would have been like had she lived. "I don't believe she would want me to remain alone if I found someone else to spend my life with." Varian chuckled ruefully, "If she could wake from the Light for only a moment, she would probably smack me and tell me not to mess this up." The emptiness she left behind burned with new hope. "I think Tiffin would want me to do this."

"I don't want you to start a relationship with me because you feel obligated to either!" Jaina protested.

"Obligated? Jaina I love you! I-" Varian froze as he felt his face burn a bright shade of scarlet. Jaina stared at him, her eyes impossibly wide. Try as he might, Varian was unable to construct a more coherent response beyond that of the simple blasphemy that fell from his lips a moment later.

Varian hadn't meant to say that. He _meant_ it in exactly the context he knew Jaina was thinking, but he hadn't been ready to say it. The direction their conversation had been steering was making him flustered and uncertain. Why did women always read so far between the lines? Varian didn't feel obligated to court her, he genuinely cared for her! All he wanted to do was assure her they weren't disrespecting Tiffin's memory by doing so!

 _I should really say something_ , Varian realized as they sat there silently staring at each other. He felt his face warm further as apprehension built in his stomach, "Jaina, I…" he stopped as she suddenly shifted and leaned forward.

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Jaina pressed her face into the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry," she said, and for one heart stopping instant, Varian thought everything was about to come crashing down around him. "I can't say those words to you in the same context. Not yet. I do love you Varian, but it's closer to how I loved my older brother." She pulled away and met his gaze, "But if you can forgive me for now, I'd… be willing to give us a try… if you are."

Varian exhaled in relief as his arms came up to embrace her tightly, "That's part of the whole concept of _courting_ , Jaina."

"I suppose you're right," she smiled sheepishly, "So… what now?"

"You rest," Varian said as he eased her back down onto the mattress. Leaning in close, he brushed his lips over hers. Delight coursed through him when he felt her arms come up around his neck. Jaina made a soft noise that made Varian growl and deepened the kiss further. His hand came up to cradle the back of her head.

The kiss ended before he really wanted to, but felt a bit of smug satisfaction well up inside him when Jaina appeared a little breathless. "Rest," he murmured as reached up and unclasped her hands from the back of his neck. He held them both for a moment before kissing them and letting them go. "I'll come check on you in a little while." Jaina nodded sleepily, and after making sure she was covered and warm, Varian left her to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

Medicating your prince may result in random bouts of giggles, inappropriate questions, and the overall misplacement of mouth filters. Proceed with caution!

* * *

 _Jaina,_ A voice echoed from the darkness. It was familiar, but obscured by the sound of roaring dragons.

A bell tolled loudly, the sound impacting her body like a physical blow. Flashes of bright scales and sharp teeth whirled around her, indistinct and chaotic, as did the smell of necrotic flesh.

 _Jaina…_

Her body rapidly began to feel cold, and her limbs became unbearably heavy. Looking down, Jaina found blood pouring from a hole in the center of her chest. The chilling weight was paralyzing, collapsing her to the floor and leaving her staring in bewilderment as her blood pooled out around her.

The sanguine fluid slowly faded to a black even darker than the shadowy gloom surrounding her. It began to roil and twist, coming to life in writhing masses of limbs and jagged maws. White smoke poured from their gaping jaws, mixing into the blackness in nauseating swirls of noxious light.

These entities were known by the Pandaren as _sha_ , the physical manifestations of negative emotions, such as anger or hatred.

As one, these sha charged, screaming their deafening cries of horror and despair. Hands clawed at her as they swarmed, defiling and mutilating, serrated teeth tearing into her flesh. One creature ripped straight into her midsection, and Jaina shrieked in agony and terror.

 _No! Stop you'll…!_ She wailed silently, halting only when the teeth dug deeper and clamped down. Jaina's stomach heaved, vomiting black ichor onto the floor. Her throat and mouth burned.

The ichor mixed with her spreading blood and boiled instantly, bubbling and churning until it rose to form something new.

It was one of the colossal Sha, an entity that embodied a pure single negative emotions.

Except this Sha looked like Garrosh, a strange amalgamation of orc and skeletal monstrosity comprised of darkness and sharp edges. Sprouting from his head were numerous branches of horns that melded into a hunched, twisted spine and ribcage. The spine curved downward until it ended in four hook shaped spikes that dug into the floor.

"You are just like me," the Garrosh Sha sneered smugly, ichor dripping from a mouth that could not close properly. Too many pointed teeth crowded around his tusks, thrusting the lower jaw forward a great distance from the rest of his face. "We are the same."

 _No!_ Jaina cried internally, unable to physically speak. _I am nothing like you!_

"But we are. You hate as much as I do," Garrosh bent his spine until his monstrous hands pressed flat against the floor. He brought his rancid face down to mere inches from hers. "Your hatred will consume you."

Burning tendrils snaked their way around Jaina's body as the lesser sha continued to tear her apart. The one with its head buried in her abdomen pulled it back out, dripping blood and gore.

"All you hold dear will die."

Tiny human limbs hung limply from its jaws.

Jaina screamed.

Garrosh's maw stretched into a vile grin as he raised to his full height with a maniacal laugh.

 _Jaina!_ The voice roared, accompanied by yet another powerful blast of a bell.

"Jaina!"

She sat up in bed with a frightened shriek, head whipping around in confusion as she gasped for air. The agony from her dream faded to the burn of cold sweat, but her entire body shook uncontrollably.

Hands touched her arms and she recoiled in alarm, pressing herself against the headboard of the bed, "No!"

"Jaina, it's okay," came a deep baritone. "You were dreaming."

One tightly closed eye peered open open hesitantly. It found Varian half kneeling on the mattress beside her. His expression was deeply concerned.

"V-Varian?" She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself to try and make her skin stop crawling. "It was a dream?"

"A nightmare from the sound of it," he said, inching forward slowly, his stance unthreatening. He reached out carefully, mindful of her wary gaze as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Much to Jaina's relief, it did not bring the pain she dreaded, only warmth and an unexpected wave of comfort. Sighing deeply, she released the vice grips on her arms and reached up to squeeze Varian's hand. Her other drifted down to her midsection. Everything was whole and unharmed.

Leaning forward, Jaina pressed her face into the crook of his neck. "This is ridiculous, I dream of Theramore every night. You'd think I'd be used to nightmares."

"It's far easier to deal with something you're accustomed to than to experience something new," Varian soothed. "I still dream of Stormwind burning, and holding Tiffin as she dies." He sighed mournfully before asking, "What did you see?"

"It was dark," she began, "I remember someone calling my name, and the sound of a bell." Varian was silent as she haltingly described the rest of her dream. It wasn't until she reached the part where the sha had begun to devour her that she stopped, the memory of rending teeth and lapping tongues strangling her ability to speak. Grotesque sounds of gurgling and slurping noises echoed in her mind, along with the wet crunching of tiny bones.

Her stomach heaved.

Jaina scrambled off the bed and rushed to the bathroom to be sick. Bile burned her throat much like as the ichor from her dream, causing further violent retching. It was only when she collapsed against the side of the bathtub in exhaustion did the compulsion to vomit finally end.

Varian entered the bathroom while she was sick, but Jaina didn't register his presence until the cool porcelain of the bathtub eased revived her a little. One of his hands was gently rubbing her back while the other steadied her so she didn't fall completely to the floor. Sitting up slowly, Jaina reached over and smacked the flusher before gingerly trying to pull herself to her feet. When she failed on her own, Varian helped her up so she could wash her face and rinse out her mouth.

With some assistance, Jaina staggered back to her bed and dropped down onto the mattress. The debilitating aftershocks of her dream were finally fading, leaving her feeling drained and weak. Varian climbed into bed with her, gently maneuvering them until he sat with his back against the headboard. She sat in his lap with her back against him, her head pillowed on his chest.

"Can you tell me anymore?" He asked softly.

Leaving her eyes closed, Jaina continued from where she left off, "The sha started… eating me. One," she swallowed hard and pulled one of Varian's hands around so it rested on her abdomen, "chewed into me. It made me throw up some horrible black fluid that turned into another Sha, one of the giantones. It… it had Garrosh's face. He told me we were the same, that my hatred would kill everyone I love." Much to her chagrin, Jaina's voice broke as tears burned at the corners of her eyes. "Then it… it ripped the baby out of me!" One hand clenched around the fabric of his tunic as she curled up against him.

The arms around her tightened protectively as Varian pressed a soothing kissed to the top of her head. "Garrosh isn't here," he said firmly. "You're _safe_. The baby is _safe_. It was a rotten nightmare, nothing more." He paused, "Unless you believe it could be something more?"

Jaina shook her head, "I don't think so. Foresight has never been one of my talents."

"Mmm," Varian rumbled, cuddling her closer and tucking her head beneath his chin.

After a few deep, steady breaths, Jaina regained control over her tears and relaxed against him. His quiet presence was reassuring. "This is… nice," she murmured. "I always wake alone after my nightmares."

"As it happens, there is an empty space beside me in my bed," Varian chuckled. "You are always welcome there, Jaina. We don't have to do anything, just this." He said, indicating the way they were cuddled up together, "I never want you to feel alone."

Jaina echoed his chuckle, "I may take you up on that offer. Although, I'm never completely alone right now," she smiled a little as she squeezed the hand he had resting on her midsection. Varian made another pleased noise and hugged her tightly, covering the side of her neck in kisses. The smile on Jaina's face broadened, the warm affection burning away the last of her distress.

"I don't think I've told you yet how glad I am you kept it," he whispered.

"Not specifically in those words, but you've made it abundantly clear in other ways," Jaina told him as she shifted to her left a little so she could look up at him. Warmth spread over her cheeks as her smile turned shy. The look he was giving her was intense. A mix of love and devotion she had never been privy to before, although she'd seen a similar expression directed at Anduin regularly.

They were starting something _more_ than just an intimate friendship. Jainas heart fluttered at the thought as Varian leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. It felt different now, making her heart race faster than it had during Winter Veil. The touch wasn't done simply because they could, it was a touch that carried a deeper meaning with it.

"Will you be all right for a few minutes while I tell Anduin what happened?" Varian asked when he finally ended the kiss, "I was with him when we heard you shout. He's stuck in his room by himself at the moment."

" _He's by himself?_ " Jaina stiffened and sat up, "Varian, go back to him! I won't take your time away from Anduin."

"You won't will you?" Varian chuckled and kissed her cheek before unwrapping himself from around her. "What if I like splitting my time between the two of you?"

"Anduin deserves your time more than I do," she insisted. "He's your son!"

"Jaina, just because I love you doesn't mean I love Anduin any less," Varian said. A blush colored her pale cheeks at his words. "He's a big boy and knows how to share."

"I don't want to take something from him that's rightfully his," Jaina said.

"You're not." He assured her, "Will you be all right for a few minutes while I tell him what happened?"

"I'll be fine," she answered. "Stay with Anduin. I'm going to try to go back to sleep."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, Varian."

"All right, I'll be just across the common room if you need me," he said. "I'll hear if you call."

The door closed with a click as Jaina laid back down. She pulled the blankets over her and burrowed back into the pillows, pleased when she found they smelled like Varian.

It didn't take long, however, for Jaina to realize sleep was a lost cause. Everytime she closed her eyes, Garrosh's macabre visage was grinning back at her. Instead, Jaina made herself comfortable and did what she did best;

Think.

A grin slowly crept over her features as she stared at the door where Varian had left. A blush warmed Jaina's cheeks all over again. She felt giddy and silly as she bashfully buried her face in her pillow. The warmth in her cheeks spread throughout her body, leaving her tingly and giggly.

Varian _loved_ her! Really loved her!

 _When_ had it happened? _How had she not seen?_

"I put up blinders," Jaina murmured to herself. She'd placed Varian in a safe zone, an area of her mind that genuinely believed he would never be interested in her in such a fashion. _Couldn't_ be interested. They were both rulers of separate nations and relationships such as theirs were not normally allowed. She'd never considered going against that concept, but their intimacy during Winter Veil had brought down barriers between them. It had deepened their friendship and understanding of one another, but Jaina had never expected it to go any further than that!

Did she love Varian?

Of course she did, without a doubt. However, that love was more familial than romantic at present. Could she fall in love with him? For all of their difference, Varian had always been a constant, steadfast presence in her life.

Jaina remembered suddenly, with some fondness, that he was the first person she'd turned to when word had come that Garrosh was planning to attack Theramore. His response had been immediate, and more importantly, supportive. He'd redirected a considerable portion of Stormwind's naval fleet to her without prompting, reassuring her everything would be okay.

Everything hadn't been out okay, but having his support had been deeply comforting.

Sighing, Jaina conjured a glass of water as she mentally pushed that thought away. Theramore was lost, dwelling on it would only make her feel worse. Instead, she set her mind back to Varian.

Did she find him attractive? Physically? Intellectually?

Absolutely.

Varian was remarkably handsome despite several unfortunate encounters with sharp objects interacting with his face. She had a thing for men with long hair, and his was some of the longest of the men she'd known over the years.

His body was… Jaina's thoughts came to a screeching halt as her cheeks flushed hot.

Varian had a _fantastic_ body.

He wasn't just tall, he was muscular to an almost obscene degree, making him exceedingly strong in the physical sense. That strength was tempered with astonishingly fine control. She still remembered his hand running up her body while they'd been intimate. The way it had rested against her throat had filled her with both fear and desire. His hand was large enough to encircle most of her throat, and was capable of crushing it had he felt so inclined.

Instead, he'd exhibited such precise control over his impressive strength it left her breathless and captivated. She still remembered his massive form above her as he stroked deep-

Jaina coughed and cleared her throat. Where had she put that water? Ah, on the nightstand beside her. A few sips calmed her down and cooled the fire burning in her cheeks.

What had she been thinking about before she'd gotten distracted? Oh yes, Varian's physical… attributes.

 _Best not dwell on those much longer,_ she decided and instead turned her attention to his more intellectual strengths.

To those unfamiliar with him, Varian came off as gruff and sometimes a bit of a brute, but he was incredibly smart when he cared to use it. He was a brilliant tactician, made proof by being deemed 'High King' of the Alliance due to his military expertise.

The only detriment to those skills was Varian tended to prefer action over discussion. That didn't mean he wouldn't sit down and talk about something, but when he'd found an appropriate solution to an issue, he often wanted to act on it instead of considering alternatives.

To his credit, he was getting better about that.

Acknowledging both sides of his nature brought another question to mind.

Could she love the two sides of his personality that tended clashed depending on the situation?

Jaina paused in her ruminations as she was hit with a startling realization.

There were not two sides of Varian Wrynn.

There were _three_.

One was King Wrynn, the steadfast and powerful leader of Stormwind. He was courageous and fiercely protective of his people.

Yet, unlike many kings before him, Varian did not flaunt his station. He was an astoundingly humble person and believed himself no better than even the most wretched of peasants. More often than not, he scoffed at the luxuries most royalty took for granted. Varian was perfectly happy with humble surroundings and simple fair, and longed to be rid of the mantle of king.

Which brought Jaina to the second side of Varian Wrynn. Lo'gosh, the brawler. He was the martial side of Varian who'd come to life after Onyxia split the king into two separate beings in a failed attempt to assassinate him.

Lo'gosh, the name bestowed upon him by the orcs who'd enslaved him and forced him fight in the arena as a brawler, yearned for a simpler life. He was most content with sparring with someone or out on the battlefield fighting the good fight. He was cunning and dangerous, the embodiment of all the anger and hatred that had built within Varian over the years.

It was a side of his nature Jaina would never fully understand. She _was_ prone to violence after Theramore. It accomplished more at far greater speeds than her older, naively diplomatic approaches of the past, but she did not find joy in killing or destruction.

The third and final side of Varian Wrynn, was just _Varian_. Jaina only saw this part of him in private, away from the public eye, and most notably, only with her. He was the compassionate, gentle lover she'd discovered during Winter Veil. This was the person she could talk to, and, perhaps more importantly, the part of him that would talk to _her._ He was playful and funny, given to snark and banter when the mood arose.

Varian was the one who held her close when she cried. He did not get angry at the sight of her tears or send her away. They had both suffered the total destruction of their homes and lost those who'd been most precious to them. These experiences made them equals. It allowed him to empathize with her far more than he did with anyone else. Her tears no longer made him angry. They resonated with him, allowed him to do the one thing he could not physically do himself.

Varian could cry through her _._

She could cry for the both of them and he could hold her close, shielding and comforting while chasing away her the fear and the nightmares. She'd found protection with him when she felt too forlorn and broken to protect herself.

A wry smile touched her lips. They shared much in common now, but there were still many parts about them that were different from each other. Varian was still a warrior. He enjoyed the physical aspects of combat and studying new weaponry and fighting styles. Whenever Varian could get away, he could usually be found in the training grounds exercising with his guards or sparring with the Pandaren.

He loved the outdoors, and regularly hunted and fished to provide food for his own larder, or donated it to those who needed it more. Jaina too enjoyed the outdoors. Dirt wasn't something she scoffed at, but she prefered to find a quiet place under a tree to read than get involved in other such physical activities.

Jaina was a scholar by comparison. She was most content hidden away in a library or a quiet nook reading and studying. The subject did not have to be magic, it could be anything. Sciences, literature, mathematics, history, it didn't matter. If it was in a book, Jaina would read it and enjoy every second of learning she got from it.

To her surprise, Jaina had discovered, during a casual dinner a month before losing Theramore, that Varian was an avid history buff. Wine had been involved, and she was certain they'd bored Anduin to tears that evening as they quizzed each other and spouted out trivia like sugar fueled children.

Varian been amused and a bit annoyed when she'd started summoning books to fact check each other.

"That's cheating!" Varian had declared

"Is _not_ ," she'd responded after another sip of wine, "I'm merely using my resources efficiently!"

"Gimmie that!" He'd held out his hand.

"Nuh uh," she'd smirked. A merry chase broke out around the table until they'd both collapsed on the sofa in laughter.

Anduin had left them to their drunkenness silliness some time during their run.

Jaina chuckled as she let the memory fade away. The good times seemed to be so distant since the destruction of Theramore. Losing her city had been, without a doubt, the worst thing to ever happen to her. It had come with some bitter, powerful lessons and changes.

One change that was less difficult to bear was she now shared many personality traits and opinions with Varian. She understood his anger and his irrational hatred and impatience with the Horde. Now Jaina could sympathize with the impulsive and often unreasonable desire to break and destroy things, to yell and scream in rage over seemingly small things.

Jaina also understood Varian's devotion and sometimes overbearing protectiveness of Anduin. There had been a time where she thought Varian was far too overprotective, to the point of smothering his own son. Her comprehension had been shallow and vague. Now that she was pregnant and had her own child to compare things to, she understood so deeply it _hurt._

How had she not seen it before? Jaina loved Anduin with all her heart and had always been ready to defend him whenever he was in peril. But those earlier feelings were pale compared to what she felt now. The memory of him laying in the Keep and Lion's Landing flashed through her mind's eye, fueling her anger and the anguish she'd felt at the sight of his broken form.

She was going to _kill_ Garrosh.

It took several steady breaths before Jaina could get her sudden rapid heart rate under control. Even passing thought about the orc made her furious. She shook her head and pushed her nemesis from her mind. Garrosh would be dealt with in time.

Instead, Jaina turned her attention back to the question she'd asked herself at the beginning of her introspective. Could she fall in love with Varian Wrynn?

Yes, Jaina believed she could fall in love with him in time.

One thing was clear. Varian Wrynn did not do things halfway. If he was committed to giving this relationship a chance, he was going to put his

heart into it without reservation.

Oh Light… what would Varian Wrynn consider romantic? She grimaced at the idea of being presented with dead animal heads and other such trophies that some men considered gestures of bravery and affection. For a moment, Jaina wondered what Tiffin had endured during their initial romance as well, then winced.

She was still worried about disrespecting Tiffin and her memory. She couldn't replace her, didn't _deserve_ to replace her. The former Queen of Stormwind was held on a theoretical pedestal far above her. Jaina had no desire to claim that spot.

Many would label her an invader. She _felt_ like an invader! It was an opinion Jaina was going to need to come to terms with before she could fully give her heart to Varian. Guilt brought doubt, and she did not want to doubt what they were building together.

Her worries shifted to Anduin, an important, no, a _crucial_ piece in the relationship she was starting. What would he think about all of this? Not only was he gaining a sibling, but his father was becoming romantically involved with his surrogate aunt. Would he be okay with that? She did _not_ want to upset him, especially now that he was so badly hurt. Varian was _his father_ first, Jaina _had_ to remain in second place or lower. It would be _wrong_ to be anything else.

 _Perhaps it would be best if we keep everything under wraps for a while_ , Jaina considered silently to herself. _At least until he's healed._

They were going to have to keep her pregnancy and their budding romance a secret anyways. If not from Anduin, then from the rest of the world until evidence of her condition reached the point where she needed glamours or illusions to hide it.

Or, at the very least, until the mess in Dalaran was sorted out and everything calmed down.

Jaina wondered how the Council of Six would respond. As a whole, they seemed like a good group of people. Her motion to expel the Horde from Dalaran had been taken with some surprise, but all had readily agreed when they discovered the damage of what exploiting their portal systems had caused.

There was a risk they would react poorly to her revelation. Modera knew, but Varian hadn't gone into detail about her reaction. She assumed it had gone well enough since he hadn't mentioned arguing with her for information about her whereabouts. Perhaps she would have at least one sympathetic ear when she finally told the Council.

But could she convince them she could still be impartial now that she carried Varian's child _and_ was starting a relationship with him?

 _Could_ she still be impartial?

Compromised loyalties were one of the reasons why the rulers of two nations were not supposed to court. The risk of one being manipulated by the other was high, and it took a strong person to put the needs of their people before their own selfish desires, no matter how deserving they might be. She didn't have any concerns about Varian doing that to her, nor would she consider doing that to him.

Wincing, Jaina's thought ground to a halt.

But she _had_ manipulated him. In her anger at what Garrosh had done to Anduin, Jaina had allowed her emotions to shape her actions. She'd wanted Varian to react, to support her desire to track down Garrosh and murder him where he stood. Instead, Varian had been the bigger person. He'd chosen not to storm after Garrosh even though he yearned to do nothing more than rip the loathsome orc to shreds.

Naught but a few years ago, Varian would have recklessly gone after Garrosh without thought for how it might affect others. He'd come so far and grown as a man and a leader.

Jaina was proud of him, and ashamed of herself.

Regret pooled in her heart.

Not about removing the Horde from Dalaran. That was a necessary evil that had to be done. People like Garrosh and Aethas couldn't be trusted. It was unfortunate so many people had to suffer due to the actions of a few.

Varian was right though. Once her pregnancy and their relationship became public news, the Purge would be viewed in a whole new light. It would look like she'd exiled the Horde solely based on what happened to Anduin. Worse, it might look like it had been Varian's orders to purge the city, and Jaina'd just been his mouthpiece.

On the face of it, it looked like she'd been playing favorites with Stormwind.

So much for impartiality….

Would the Council ask her to step down? Should she step down anyways? Jaina wasn't fond of that idea.

For the briefest second, she considered the idea of Varian stepping down as king, then shook her head and dismissed it. Even if Anduin hadn't been badly wounded, Varian was High King of the Alliance and the hereditary king of Stormwind. It wasn't a position he could just walk away from when the collective nations looked to him for martial guidance.

Jaina, by comparison, was an elected official who'd only held her seat for a few months. Rhonin had asked her to succeed him for a reason. He'd wanted her to take care of Dalaran, to lead it on the path of neutrality and coexistence that would be an example that all of Azeroth could follow.

"I'm sorry Rhonin. I'm not sure I can be the leader you wanted me to be," Jaina murmured to herself with a sigh.

Nothing needed to be decided yet. For now she would let things settle in Dalaran and take on issues as they presented themselves.

"I guess I should get up," Jaina decided, bored of sitting there and tired of her introspective. Looking down at herself, she placed a hand on her lower abdomen, "What do you think little one, should we go find your father?" She giggled despite knowing she wouldn't receive an answer.

Jaina got out of bed in her usual quick manner, then winced at the sharp pinch in her midsection. A reminder that she still needed to take it easy. "Right… slowly," she grimaced as she straightened up at a much more languid pace. When no further pain presented itself, Jaina made her way out of the bedroom and into the common area of the suite. Laughter drew her across the chamber to a door that was ajar. Peering inside, she found Varian sitting attentively at Anduin's bedside. The prince seemed to be trying to say something, and failing miserably, making his father chuckle once more. Jaina leaned against the doorframe, smiling fondly at them, then winced as her movement made the door to open a fraction of an inch, creaking conspicuously loudly.

Varian turned his attention towards the new sound with a look that promised no end of suffering to the person who dared disturbed him. The expression vanished when he realized it was her, not some unwelcome foe. He rose from his seat with a smile. Jaina returned it timidly as he approached, "I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't mean to disturb you."

"Never," Varian said as he opened the door farther to admit and her kissed her cheek.

"How is he?" Jaina asked quietly, blushing a little.

"Heavily medicated and feeling no pain," Varian said in an amused tone, unaware of her internal observations. He smiled handsomely, "We are currently having a disagreement."

"Oh?" Jaina raised a brow as he escorted her to the large padded armchair he'd been using and made sure she sat in it.

Anduin looked up at her with a dopey expression and slurred, "He's b'n tellin' me _fibs_ all af… " the prince trailed off as his brow furrowed. He worked his mouth, which Jaina could see was still bruised and swollen, before he tried again, "...af-terrrr… n...nu...noooon."

"His face and mouth are numb," Varian informed her with a snicker.

Jaina hid a smile behind her hand and smothered a laugh. Varian left the room for a moment before returning with another massive pandaren chairs. Anduin watched him place it beside her before looking back and blinked a few times. This made repressing her laughter far more difficult, for his eyes blinked slowly and noticeably out of sync.

"Wa'so funny?" Anduin asked.

"Nothing!" Jaina answered quickly. She could hear Varian chuckling beside her as he sat down. "What's your father been fibbing about?"

"That yoooouu'rrrre pre… pre…" he stopped and seemed to decide that word had far too many syllables, "That yer h'vin' a baby. An' i's his." Jaina was surprised to see Anduin could lift his left arm with little difficulty and pointed it at Varian.

"Oh, I see," she hummed, feeling apprehension brew in the pit of her stomach. Varian had assured her earlier that Anduin would be pleased with the news of soon becoming a big brother. Now however, with everything that had happened, she was nervous again. She looked over at Varian, the uneasiness apparent on her face. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and smiled reassuringly. Jaina turned back to the young man and said, "It's true, Anduin, I'm pregnant."

The drugged expression lessened some as Anduin's eyes widened, " _Really_?"

"Mhm," Jaina nodded, her voice pitched a little higher in nervous anticipation as she felt her face heat up.

For one dreadful moment, Anduin was frozen in complete silence. When he finally responded, it was a very simple and very surprised, "Oh. Shit."

"Anduin!" Jaina scoffed while her companion laughed again.

"Lots of painkillers," Varian reminded her, "his mouth filters aren't functioning."

"I have que...que'shuns," Anduin spoke up. It was clear, even in his medicated state, he wanted to know what was going on and was trying hard to remain as lucid.

"And we might have answers," Varian replied.

"Ha ha ha," Anduin mocked, then asked, "When'd'you find out about…" he gestured at Jaina, "...this!"

"Yesterday," she answered.

Anduin did his strange out of sync blink at them before saying, "Thas'fairly early isn't it?" The healer in him was still alive and well.

"Wait you can't say the word 'pregnant' but you can deduce the _timeline_ of her pregnancy?" Varian interrupted.

"I c'n'still maths!" Anduin declared. Varian laughed once more while the young man gave him an exasperated glare, then turned his attention back to Jaina.

"You're right, actually," she nodded, "I'm four or five weeks along, give or take a few days. There was a problem that made my condition noticeable earlier than usual." Jaina gave him a brief description of her ectopic pregnancy the day before. By the extreme change of expression during her explanation, Anduin understood what she was talking about.

"But yer okay now'right?" His voice was strained with concern, even through his medicated haze. His good hand reached out for hers.

"Yes, Anduin. I'm a little sore, but everything is all right," Jaina said as she took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"So w'does this mean fer the two of yyy...yoouuuu?" Anduin asked.

"You're going to need to be more specific son," Varian told him.

"Tra… der…" Anduin made a frustrated noise and tried again, "Ter'di-" he scowled and blew a raspberry, "This is no longer funny." He cleared his throat and tried again for the third time, "Tra-di-tion usually says mar- mmmerrr… _marriage_ when s'mthin like this happens."

"We're not jump to those ends too quickly," Varian answered.

"B'you two are okay?" He asked, "Y'don't see'mad at ea'chother."

"No, we're not angry at each other," Jaina assured him before feeling a rush of sheepishness. "But… um… things will be changing between us."

"Bad changes?"

"No, I don't believe so," she answered. "But they will affect you, and… " Jaina looked over at Varian as she finished her sentence, "we want to make sure you're okay with this."

"How would you feel if I started courting Jaina?" Varian asked bluntly.

"Courting… as n'romant'cally?" Anduin asked. His father nodded. Calculating eyes flicked back and forth between them as he considered his answered. "That would be… strange."

Jaina felt her stomach clench and an uneasiness build in her throat, "Would it make you angry?"

He pondered the question for a moment before answering, "No, it'd just be… different."

"But would you be okay with it?" Varian asked, trying the question again from another angle.

"Why would y'need me t'be okay with it?" He asked.

"Because I don't want to intrude on you two," Jaina answered. "I don't want take from you what is rightfully yours."

"Take from me?" The prince asked with a confused frown.

"Your father," she clarified. "It's just been the two of you for as long as you can remember."

Anduin blinked owlishly at her, "Seems t'me some of him is already yours."

She winced, guilt welling up to mix with apprehension, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Anduin," Varian warned.

"What?"

"You're avoiding the question," his father rumbled.

"Am not," Anduin insisted. "I don't see why y'need my perm'ssion to date Aunt Jaina, or for Aunt Jaina to date you."

"Because we're going to run into enough problems and complications when word gets out to the public," Varian answered. "It would be nice if the most important person in my life was at least on board with the idea." He worked his jaw and stared at the floor.

Anduin blinked owlishly at them again before he responded with a heartfelt, "Oh."

"If you aren't okay with it Anduin, then we won't do this," Jaina finally found her voice again.

Varian looked over with a frown, "But… "

"No! I won't risk tearing you two apart if this goes sour!" Jaina stood from her seat, wincing sharply a little at the sharp pinch from the tender spot in her abdomen.

Varian rose, concern on his face, "Jaina?"

"I'm fine," she insisted, dismayed and annoyed with herself as she felt tears slide down her cheeks. She was overreacting. She _knew_ it, but wasn't able to stop herself. "I want to give this a try, but _not_ if Anduin isn't okay with this. He's your _son_ , I'm the outsider."

"You're not an outsider!" Varian insisted.

"Both'v'you, hang on a- _OWW!_ " Anduin's voice cut off with a painful yelp. Both adults halted their argument and rushed to his bedside. "M'alright!" he said through gritted teeth, eyes clamped shut and his uninjured arm wrapped across his chest. "Tried t'sit up. Stupid!"

"I'm getting a healer," Varian said. "Stay with him."

"As if I could be anywhere else," Jaina said as she watched him go. Looking back at Anduin, she found tears running down his face. Her heart broke. "I did this," she murmured as she closed her eyes, more of her own tears slip down her cheeks.

"That's funny," Anduin's voice sounded strained, "Y'don't look like the big ugly orc that dropped a bell on me." She looked up to find a stiff smirk on his face, "So, you and my father? Together?"

"Only…" Jaina found her fingers clenching into the sheets where her hands rested on the mattress, "... only if you're okay with it."

"I still don't understand why you need my permission," Anduin said between his teeth. "You're both adults. You don't need the opinion of a teenager to decide how you spend your personal lives."

"He's your father, Anduin," Jaina said, suddenly feeling a little silly for repeating herself. "I just… I don't want to make you unhappy."

Anduin was quiet for a moment, "He loves you, you know that right?"

A grin tugged at the right corner of her mouth as she remembered earlier, "He may have let it slip."

"Do you love him?" He asked.

Guilt stopped her cold, and it took her a moment of consideration before she answered, "I do, but not exactly as he does. Not yet anyways."

"I think that's what the 'courting' part is for," Anduin smirked again.

"That's what he said too," Jaina chuckled.

His hand found hers and gave it a gentle squeeze, "I still don't believe I have any say in the direction you two decide to take your relationship, but you have my blessing nonetheless." He squeezed it a bit harder as he added with a dangerous look, "If you hurt my father, I cannot account for my actions."

"I have no intentions of hurting him," it was Jaina's turn to smirk, "It's kind of you to come to his defense like that."

"Oh, it goes double for him," Anduin said seriously, "If he hurts you I'll kick his ass… somehow."

The giggle started quietly, her smirk slowly building to a full fledged grin as her laughter followed. In no time at all, she was nearly doubled over with mirth and had to lean against the bed so she didn't lose her balance.

"It wasn't _that_ funny," Anduin insisted.

"I'm sorry," she squeaked as she wiped away more tears. "When you said that, all I could picture was you as a little boy trying to beat your father to death with a stick."

"I'd win too," Anduin insisted with a rough chuckle.

"Hmm, doesn't sound too bad in here," came an unfamiliar voice.

Jaina looked over to see a pandaren woman entering the room, followed closely by Varian.

"I'm all right," Anduin insisted gingerly, "I tried to sit up by accident."

The pandaren smiled gently as she made her way over to the other side of the bed and picked up a clipboard. She flipped through it for a few moments, studying the contents of the pages fastened to it.

Jaina's curiosity piqued, what was on that? A log of Anduin's injuries? Her fingers itched with magic.

"Be that as it may, it would be best to make sure you haven't damaged any of your healing injuries further," the pandaren woman said as she placed the clipboard back on the rack attached to the end of the bed. "If you'll excuse me," she said politely to Jaina, who hurried out of the way.

While the healer settled a calming green mist over Anduin, Jaina focused once more on the clipboard, summoning it with her magic. It floated silently off the rack towards her, and was nearly in her grasp before a much larger hand plucked it from the air.

Varian frowned at her while shaking his head, "Your day has been distressing enough as it is," he held up the clipboard, "This will only make it moreso."

Frowning, Jaina opened her mouth to protest, but shut it immediately. For all that she loved him, Anduin was not her son. Varian had every right to withhold his medical records if he felt it necessary. Sighing, she nodded in defeat.

Varian put the clipboard where it belonged, then came back to her, leaning in close to place a soft kiss on her cheek, whispering, "Maybe tomorrow, love."

Warmth bloomed within her, sending a nearly euphoric sensation through her head. There was nothing sexual about it, just a soothing comfort. For a moment, his simple touch seemed to be enough. Jaina closed her eyes and leaned into him, pressing her left cheek against his and basked in the warmth of their closeness. Her eyes only opened again when Varian pulled away. Not far, just enough to brush his lips over hers as his blue gray gaze found hers and held it firm.

Until someone politely cleared their throat.

Both rulers froze, abashed at being so blatantly affectionate with a stranger in the room. Jaina took one quick step backwards, her cheeks _burning_ as they both looked over to find the pandaren healer regarding them with a calm smile.

"I'm pleased to report that Prince Anduin did not hurt himself further with his unintentional movement," she said. "I strongly suggest you keep his environment as calm and relaxed as possible to avoid future aggravation to his injuries."

"Absolutely," Varian nodded gruffly. The healer bowed and headed for the door, but he stopped her by adding, "I would appreciate you not mentioning anything else you may have seen while you were tending to my son."

"I'm sorry King Wrynn," the Pandaren smiled sweetly as she walked to the door, "I have no idea what you're speaking of. I only saw Prince Anduin while I was here." She left without another word.

Anduin looked at them and raised a conspiratorial brow, "Dangerous. Kinda cute, but dangerous."

"Won't happen again," Varian insisted as he gestured for Jaina to sit once more.

"Not sure if Aunt Jaina told you or not, but if you two really want to try for a relationship, you have my blessing," Anduin told him.

"You're sure?" His father asked as he too reclaimed his seat.

"Mhm," Anduin gave a stiff nod, "although, you'll pardon my candor, there's going to be a shitstorm when it goes public."

Jaina felt her stomach clench, "It'll be made all the worse because of what I did in Dalaran."

"So I heard," the prince frowned. "Do you really believe purging the city of the Horde was the wisest choice?"

"I don't regret removing the Sunreavers from Dalaran," Jaina looked at him with a determined expression. "They exploited our portal system for personal gain, and you were nearly killed because of it." She sighed deeply, "Although, I cannot deny that I should've been a little more patient about executing the decision." Looking to Varian she said, "Had I know you'd been in talks with Lor'themar, we might've been able to come to a more peaceful solution together. The Purge got… ugly, even though I made it clear to Vereesa I wanted things handled civilly." Jaina pressed her lips together in a thin grimace, "I'm sorry I ruined that option."

"What's done is done," Varian placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before giving her a small, sympathetic smiled. "Besides, I'm in no place to judge. If there's anyone who knows what it's like to make rash decisions and regret them later, it's me."

"I hate being the voice of negativity here," Anduin cut in, "but do you think they'll let you remain Grand Magus? The fallout of the Purge aside, there are restrictions that prevent two rulers from separate nations from courting."

"There aren't expressed rules in place, but it _is_ frowned upon," Varian acknowledged.

"If it's taken poorly, I'd have to step down," Jaina admitted.

"That's not fair," Varian growled.

"No, it's not," she agreed, "but it's the only logical path we can take. You can't, you're established as king, and you hold that position by birthright."

"Birthright be damned," Varian hissed, "You're a far better ruler than I am."

Jaina chuckled hoarsely, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Theramore was bombed under my rule and I nearly ransacked Dalaran on my own orders."

"Extraordinary circumstance," Anduin pointed out. "Theramore thrived under your rule for over a decade. Considering yourself a bad ruler due to outrageous events isn't fair to yourself." He paused as he tilted his head to the side, "Both issues are the fault of Garrosh's machinations, not your failings as a leader."

"Perhaps," Jaina murmured.

"On a more interesting note, you stepping down from Dalaran could pave the way for you to become Queen of Stormwind," the prince chuckled.

Jaina recoiled at the thought, "I don't believe I'm comfortable with that idea."

"Assuming this even works out," Varian stepped in, "Jaina doesn't have to take on that title if she does not wish to. There are other positions she can take that won't giver her political power if she does not want it."

"I think we are getting a little ahead of ourselves," Jaina grimaced, unsettled at the direction the conversation was turning. "Let's stay focused on the immediate issues."

"Have you chosen a regular physician yet?" Anduin asked.

"Not yet. Why, are you offering?" Jaina asked, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. Bless the boy for changing the subject so quickly!

"No," Anduin's eyes widened, intimidated by the idea. The expression turned shy as he said, "I don't have enough experience, but… if it's all right with you, I'd like to speak with your healer. I wan to ask if it would be okay for me to assist them. I… want to learn more about this." Anduin didn't say it outloud, but his tone told her he wanted to make sure she was well cared for.

"Anduin, that's… ," Jaina started softly, touched by his request. Her eyes began to sting, "... stupid hormones," she hissed in annoyance and hastily wiped away the brimming tears. "I would love for you to be involved with this, as long as it's okay with the healer I choose, and it's within your comfort zone." Jaina doubted the one she was considering would mind. More than likely, they would have urged Anduin to participate if he looked interested in any way. "Would you like me to ask for you when I speak with them?

"No, I'd rather do it myself, as long as they don't mind dictated letters," he grinned.

Jaina returned the smile, "They won't mind at all." Looking to her side, she found Varian watching them with a tender look of contentment on his face. A light blush colored her cheeks. It was a new experience to find him looking at her that way.

The conversation slowly began to veer towards inconsequential things, and it wasn't long before Jaina felt her eyelids begin to droop. The events of the day and the lack of restful sleep earlier were settling in once more. She hadn't realized she'd dozed off until Varian carefully lifting her from her seat and settling her in his lap. Fortunately, the chairs they sat in were of Pandaren design and able to hold even the largest males of their considerable stature. Even with both her and Varian in one, there was plenty of room for both of them to cuddle up comfortably.

Both he and Anduin continued to converse in low voices as Jaina fell back into a sort of half sleep. She could listen to what they were saying as she catnapped.

"So, really, are you two going to be okay?" Anduin asked quietly.

"Surprisingly, yes," Varian answered.

"Surprisingly?"

Varian was quiet for a moment, as if mulling over whether he should explain himself or not. Finally, he spoke, "When she told me of her condition this morning, she was petrified that I'd be furious about it. That I would hate her, then send here away and never want to see her again," Varian explained.

"Why would you do that?" Anduin asked.

"I wouldn't, and I didn't," Varian clarified as his voice took on an apprehensive tone. "Jaina was… treated very poorly by someone many years ago for the mere mention of children. That experience laid the foundation for how she thought I would react."

"Who would do that to her?" Anduin sounded a angry.

"It doesn't matter," his father assured him, "he's dead." Jaina shifted uncomfortably, making Varian rearrange himself so he reclined in his seat. Gently, he adjusted her position so she rested comfortably against his chest. Pressing a warm kiss to the top of her head, he tucked it securely beneath his chin before continuing where he'd left off. "I was _surprised,_ and a bit apprehensive about the revelation. Jaina promised me over Winter Veil that she'd take care of the after effects of our time together. On the face of it, it looked like she hadn't, or lied about it."

"But she explained why her contraceptives didn't work," Anduin pointed out.

"Yes, and once she had, my doubts were put to rest," the king nodded. "To be honest, I'm grateful she reacted the way she did."

"Why? It sounds like she's had an awful time of it." Anduin sounded insulted by the idea of his father finding comfort in her distress.

"Anduin, you're old enough to know 'it takes two to tango,'" Varian chuckled a little before he sobered. "I'm equally responsible for what's happening, maybe even a bit more considering I could've prevented it if I'd been a little more… coherent." He cleared his throat, "What I mean is, Jaina could just as easily been furious and _blamed me_ for this." She felt his arms tighten around her a little, "This is an enormous undertaking for her, Anduin. I'm _relieved_ she doesn't hate me for it."

The intensity of his words nearly made her gasp, but Jaina was able to cover up the minor movement with a small yawn, shifting a little to add to the illusion of asleep.

Varian had gone completely still.

"What's with the awestuck look?" Anduin asked with chuckle.

He exhaled carefully, as if trying not to break something, "In a sense, I am." Jaina didn't hear Anduin say anything, but his face must've had a questioning look on it because Varian continued, "Think about it, Jaina isn't living for just herself anymore. She's… there's another _life_ in there that didn't exist before. Everything she does is done for someone else too." Jaina felt his hand cover her midsection, "Even when she breathes, some of it goes to that life instead of her."

Anduin was quiet for a moment before asking, "Have you been sneaking some of my meds?"

The king snorted, "You'll understand someday."

"I understand," Anduin said, "it's just very unlike you speak this way."

There was silence for a moment before Varian's voice asked, "Does this really look that strange to you?"

"Yes and no," Anduin answered. "I'd be lying if I said the thought of you two getting together never crossed my mind. I never took the idea seriously though."

"But you're not offended by the idea or angry about it?" His father asked.

"No," the prince answered. "Seeing the both of you being… affection with each other will take some getting used to. What matters is you're happy. If this makes the both of you happy, then who am I to stop you?"

"You're my son," Varian told him. "For all Jaina seems a little irrationally concerned about making you upset, she does have a point. You're very important to her. She doesn't want to damage that or potentially damage anything between you and me."

"I doubt she could," Anduin said with impressive certainty. "I just want you two happy."

"That," his father paused for a moment to clear his throat, "That means a lot Anduin, thank you."

"You can thank me by keeping your more intense displays of affection away from me," a chuckle laced the prince's words.

"Away from you?" Varian's voice took on a teasing tone, "I thought you wanted to study how babies were made?"

Anduin made a disgusted noise,"I do _not_ , I already know how that works! I want to learn more about what comes after that."

"Usually a shower and a nap." Varian told him.

"I hate you sometimes," Anduin groused, making his father chuckle softly.

Jaina was on the verge of giggling when she was hit with a very loud voice in her mind.

" _JAINA!"_ The voice cried frantically, " _HELP ME, PLEASE!"_

It was the same voice that called to her in her dream.

She bolted upright with a gasp, "Kalec!"

* * *

Thanks for reading! Rate and Review if you wish! We just finished with the hell that is buying, closing, and moving into a condo. Life should be settling down once more.

See you next time!


	5. Chapter 5

Bedpans and Princes don't mix, and we take a short trip to the Nexus to visit Kalec!

The next few chapters will be a short retelling if Dawn of the Aspects. I was not a fan of the canonic version, so I hope I can make this alternate version a little more interesting.

* * *

" _JAINA_!" The voice in her mind cried frantically, " _PLEASE, HELP ME!_ "

She bolted upright with a gasp, "Kalec!" Jaina's balance betrayed her, tipping her precariously towards the floor. Strong arms tightened around her waist, preventing her from falling off Varian's lap.

"Light's Mercy, we thought you were sleeping!" Anduin said stiffly, startled by her sudden outburst. "What about Kalec? Did you forget to tell him about your time with Father?"

"No," Jaina answered, "Kalec called to me just now. He sounded panicked, like he was in trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" asked Varian as she clamored out of his lap.

"I'm not sure," Jaina admitted as she stood and batted some of the wrinkles out of her robes. "He's called to me several times today. I was able to speak with him once, but he seemed… confused by our conversation. He thought I'd called to him, not the other way around." Jaina frowned, "He called to me during the Purge as well, but I was too preoccupied to answer."

Standing straight, Jaina called back to the distant dragon, hoping he would answer.

Nothing, only silent emptiness.

"No answer," she sighed in frustration, worry gnawing at the pit of her stomach. Before, Kalec's calls had been strong, but calm. This one had been on the verge of hysteria. His silence at her response only further solidified her sense that something was deeply wrong. Turning, she made for the door, "I need to find out what's going on."

A large hand grabbed her right arm and held it firm, "Where are you going to go?" Varian asked.

"The Nexus in Coldarra," Jaina answered as she looked back. "Kalec is still cataloging the artifacts stored there."

"No, you're not."

Jaina glared as she whirled around, yanking her arm from his gasp as she went, "Don't you dare try to stop me, Varian Wrynn. Kalec is one of the few friends I have left after Theramore. If he needs my help I will not ignore him!"

"I would not ask you to ignore him," the king said as he stood from his seat. "But dragon trouble in never simple, or safe. You and I have been on the losing side of it before." Jaina winced at the stinging reminder that it had been _Kalec's_ decision to move the Focusing Iris that allowed the artifact to be stolen in the first place.

It was later used to bomb her city.

"I know I said I wouldn't try to restrict you, Jaina, but, considering the circumstances… " Varian's gaze flicked to her midsection, then back up to her face. "I would go with you, if you let me."

Jaina's premeditated response died on her lips. She'd expected a fight. To be forbidden to act as she saw fit.

Instead, all Varian wanted to do was accompany her.

"What about Anduin?" Jaina asked.

"I'll find a minder for him," he answered.

"I don't need a minder," Anduin grumped.

"Son, you can't move," his father reminded him, "You need someone here to help if you need it."

"I can bring whoever you believe is best to keep an eye on Anduin over immediately," Jaina said.

"No, you're staying here while I run a few errands," Varian told her. "You haven't eaten anything since lunch, have you?"

Jaina opened her mouth to protest, but closed it with a scowl, she had not.

Varian heaved a deep sigh, "Order some dinner while I'm gone. I ate earlier with Anduin when the healers wanted to make sure he was capable of consuming and keeping food down."

"And where are you going? Jaina asked as she crossed her arms over her chest, her scowl morphing to a deep set frown.

"I need to check on a few things in Stormwind," he answered. "We left rather abruptly, if you recall. Once I'm done I'll be back and we can go help Kalec."

"But..."

"Jaina, you need to take care of yourself," he reminded her. "I know it's not normally how you do things, but you _have_ to start putting yourself first."

Irritation faded to reluctant agreement. It was not the way Jaina normally lived her life. She always focused on making sure others were taken care of first. The greater good, the overall bigger picture was more important than her own personal needs.

"You're in charge, Anduin," Varian smirked as he made his way to the door, "Make sure she eats something."

"Why is he in charge?!" Jaina asked indignantly.

"Because he'll make sure you eat," Varian answered as he stepped out of the room. "And he'll play dirty if he has to." Jaina couldn't think of an adequate retort as she stomped after him. Opening the main door of their suite, Varian paused to look back at her, his mischievous expressions replaced by a far more stoic one. Reaching out, he brushed his fingers against her cheek, "I'll be back as soon as I can. Please try to relax and take care of yourself in the meantime."

The glare she'd fixed him with melted away at his words. Guilt crept up her spine, "I am… unaccustomed to self indulgence."

"Getting proper food and rest is not indulgence, Jaina," he smiled softly at her. "But if it makes you feel better, look at it as if you're doing it for this one," his fingers dropped to brush over her midsection, "instead of yourself."

Varian was right. It was her responsibility to make sure their child was taken care of. At this stage of her pregnancy, the best way to do that was to make sure _she_ was well cared for. Varian was doing a remarkable job of that. All she was doing was being difficult, and that wasn't fair to him, or their baby.

Sighing, Jaina nodded, "I know, you're right."

Leaning down, Varian kissed her cheek before stepped away, "I'll be back soon." The door closed with an audible click.

"There should be a stack of menus on the sideboard by the door!" Anduin called, "Grab them and we'll look for something to eat."

"I thought you already ate," Jaina said with enough volume for him to hear as she spied the handful of little pamphlets.

"I can always use a snack," Anduin said.

"Teenage boys, always hungry," Jaina rolled her eyes with a small smile as she grabbed the menus and strolled back into the bedroom. With a little effort, she shifted one of the chairs over so she could sit besides Anduin while they looked over their options. He was much more familiar with the Pandaren written language as well as their cuisine. With his help, she found something that was certain to stay in her stomach, a type of rice porridge called congee, and he got an order of pan fried dumplings.

When she came back into his room after ordering their food, Jaina spied the clipboard holding Anduin's medical chart. The young prince followed her gaze, "Father didn't want you looking at those."

"He doesn't want me doing many things right now," Jaina sniffed in disdain.

"I'm going to need another round of painkillers so I can chew," Anduin said. "Can you hand me some please? Two pills."

Stepping to the dresser where several bottles sat on top, Jaina read their labels until she found the one she needed. She knew he was trying to keep her occupied as she popped the cork out of the bottle and tapped two pills into her hand. Returning to his side, Jaina handed Anduin the painkillers and conjured something to drink for him as well. A grin formed on his face as he spied his favorite blend of fruit juices.

"You're going to spoil me," Anduin said as he gingerly tried to push himself up against his pillows.

Jaina summoned a small table and set that glass of juice down, "Let me help you." A spell blanketed him in a gentle glow, "Stop me if this hurts." A gesture lifted him a few inches off the mattress so she could reposition his pillows. Once done, she directed the spell to ease him up at the waist a few inches at a time until he was sitting up comfortably as far as his damaged body would allow. "And I'm your aunt," Jaina reminded him as she set back on the mattress, "part of the job description specifically states, 'spoil nephew relentlessly.'"

"Does it now?" Anduin raised a skeptical brow as he popped the painkillers in his mouth and accepted his beverage, "Thank you," he took several swallows to wash down his pills. When he looked up again, he watched her summon the clipboard with her magic and gave a displeased grunt, "Hey! Father told you not to touch that."

Jaina gritted her teeth, "I need to know what that _bastard_ did to you, Anduin, so I can I can break every bone in his body when I find him. Except unlike you, I'll break them one little piece at a time."

"Aunt Jaina, that's torture," he said softly.

"You're damn right it's torture," Jaina hissed as she looked at him, then winced sharply. His skin had paled noticeably, and his eyes were wide in alarm. Sighing, Jaina did her best to soften her expression through her fury, "Garrosh must pay for what he's done, Anduin. Death isn't nearly enough for the atrocities he's committed to you and everyone else."

"And looking at my medical records after my father asked you not to will help you achieve that?" Anduin asked calmly.

"It will certainly help," Jaina muttered as she looked over the reports.

"What if I don't want you to look at them?"

Her anger died instantly, and was replaced by shame. Heaving another sigh, Jaina reluctantly placed the clipboard back on its rack, "I'm sorry, Anduin, you're right. It's none of my business."

The prince shook his head, "I don't mind if you read about my injuries, Aunt Jaina. What I'm upset about is you went against my father's wishes. He asked you not to and you did it _anyways_."

Shame flowed smoothly into validated defiance as she leveled him with a stern scowl, "Pot, meet kettle!"

Anduin opened his mouth to respond, then closed it with a sheepish look, "You have a point." If there was anyone who went against Varian's wishes more often, it was his own son. "Due to that fact, I won't say anything about this." He waved his hand in the general direction of his medical papers. The frown returned as he added, "But please don't go against my father's wishes like this, Aunt Jaina. I may not be experienced when it comes to relationships, but I seem to recall respecting your partner as being something important."

Sighing for the umpteenth time, Jaina slumped down into her seat beside him, "Yes, you're right, it's very important." A frustrated frown tugged at her lips, "I'm sorry Anduin, I truly don't like being this contemptuous. I did not used to be."

"You've been through some horrific experiences, Aunt Jaina," her nephew reminded her. "Your personality change is justifiably understandable."

"I'm lucky to still have a few people around who are… sympathetic about that."

"You're family, of course we're going to be sympathetic," Anduin said fiercely, for a moment looking _just_ like his father. His face brightened an instant later as he pointed at her midsection, "Look, now we have a blood relation!"

Warmth burned its way over Jaina's face as she looked sheepishly at her lap, "In a sense, yes, I suppose that's true now. Not directly… but… closer."

"Good enough for me," he grinned.

"Anduin, you're being remarkably accommodating about this," Jaina's voice turned serious. "You're not just faking it to make me feel better, are you?"

Tilting his head at a ponderous angle, Anduin pursed his lips, "Am I pushing away some of the facts to make this less awkward? Yes, but it's not so I can fake it. This development isn't something I expected, but it's not unwelcome." His smile returned, "I've always wanted to be a big brother."

"Even though it will only be a half sibling?" Jaina asked.

"Makes no difference to me," Anduin shrugged his one good shoulder.

Her heart lifted a little more at his words, "That's… very comforting Anduin. Thank you."

He grinned once more, then perked up at the sound of knocking on the main door to the suite, "Ooh, food's here."

"That was fast," Jaina said as she stood from her seat to check. If the guards had allowed the person to knock, then it was clearly safe.

"Pandarens're amazing cooks," Anduin said cheerfully, a hint of a slur slipping in as his pain medication kicked in at the perfect timing.

Sure enough, a huge male Pandaren stood at the door with their food. Jaina offered to take it, but he shook his head and asked where she would like their meal placed. With some reluctance, Jaina led the way back into Anduin's room and transfigured the table into a slightly lower one with a much wider surface.

Jaina regarded the portion sizes with some trepidation. While she'd ordered a small size for her rice dish, she'd forgotten to take into account the Pandaren's considerably larger portion sizes. The ornate pot that held the savory porridge could easily feed three people, and Jaina began to wonder if she could pawn off some of it on Anduin.

Their conversation shifted to some of Anduin's other adventures throughout Pandaria. Some parts of his stories seemed to take abrupt jumps and turns, and Anduin was suspiciously vague when she asked about who all had helped with the liberation of Chi Ji's temple from a Sha infestation. She suspected parts were due to his medication, but more likely had to do with who he'd been accompanied by. Jaina suspected it was members of the Horde, but did not press, happy to move away from the subject of Sha. Images of her nightmare played in the back of her mind and made her skin crawl.

They looked up when Varian strode through the door some time later, clad in dark greys and black clothes instead of his usual Stormwind blues and golds. The material was light and hardly made a sound as he walked. Shalamayne was strapped to his back.

"Feelin' sneaky?" Anduin asked.

"Plate armor is many things, but quiet is not one of them," Varian answered. "I'm not accompanying Jaina with the intent to slay a dragon, only to investigate and help if I can." He looked over at her, "Did you eat?" She pointed to the empty bowl of congee she'd consumed. Varian studied the bowl intently for a moment before saying, "I'd rather you eat more, but I guess that will be sufficient."

"Sufficient? My stomach is only so big, Varian," Jaina protested with a hint of a chuckle.

"Yeah but you're eating for _two_ ," Anduin happily reminded her.

"Go to sleep," Jaina advised, cheeks warming in both enjoyment and sheepishness at the phrase.

"Nope, have to pee!" the drugged prince proclaimed, then froze, dopey expression fading, "Wait… I can't stand up, how do'I take a-"

"Let me reacquaint you with your minder," Varian interrupted his son. A portly older woman with graying hair tied back in a bun came out from behind the king, smiling kindly. "You remember Mara don't you?"

"I saw Mara two weeks ago a'home," Anduin slurred with grumble, before shifting his attention to the healer, "Hi Mara. Hope father din'pull you 'way from an'thing 'portant."

"There's nothing more important than the health of my young prince," the older woman chuckled as she came around to his bedside. Despite her age, Mara appeared quite sturdy, and had a look in her eye that stated she could see through any of Anduin's shinanigens.

"You gonna help me t'the bathroom?" Anduin asked expectantly.

"Absolutely not," Mara said with an exaggerated shake of her head.

"B'how am I suppose' t'pee?" He asked with genuine curiosity.

"That's what bedpans are for!" Mara said cheerfully.

"Bye Anduin!" Varian called over his son's horrified wail, herding Jaina quickly out the door.

"Are you sure you want to leave him by himself?" She asked.

"He'll be fine," he assured her, "Mara is one of the finest healers I have on staff, and she's known Anduin since he was six."

"I doubt that's much of a comfort for him at the moment."

"Do you want really think Anduin wants the Grand Magus of Dalaran helping him with his toilet issues?" Varian asked.

"I could at least float him to the bathroom," she said with a sigh. "I suppose you have a point. I doubt he'd want me helping him with much else."

"All men have their pride, Jaina," he smiled gently. "His is going to be bruised for a while, whether he uses his bedpan or not."

hr

They appeared on a snow covered bluff near the Nexus. An icy gust of wind blew straight through them, instantly chilling Jaina to the bone. She murmured an impressive oath as her head swam and her balance teetered. Strong hands held her steady.

"I am already regretting this idea," Varian rumbled softly.

"It's passing," Jaina said between deep, steady breaths. The frigid air was clearing her head quickly. Once she could stand up straight again, she strengthened her personal shields, blocking out the arctic temperatures. She extended those protective barriers to Varian as well, "Ready?"

"Whenever you are," he answered.

Leading, Jaina picked her way down a path that had been established by the Transitus Shield during the Nexus Wars. The old base was abandoned now, but nature had yet to fully reclaim the surrounding are and all of the changes it brought.

"I thought this place was supposed to be full of blue dragons," Varian said as he studied the skies, keen eyes watching for threats.

"It once was," Jaina admitted, mindful of ice collecting on any of the visible cobblestones. "Much of the Blue Flight has disbursed to the world, no longer bound here by their Aspect. They lost their Mantles when they fought Deathwing. Most of them are trying to find new purposes."

"So I'd heard," Varian said.

They were halfway down the bluff when Jaina stopped, "Strange, I was sure Kalec would have protective wards around the Nexus while he was here by himself."

"There are none?"

"No," she shook her head, remembering Varian had no arcane senses whatsoever. "Had I known this, I'd have teleported us closer."

"What would've happened had you teleported us too close to wards?" Varian asked.

"Defensive spells would activate," she answered. "We very likely could've been blown up upon materialization."

"Then where you put us before was perfect," he smiled handsomely at her.

A sense of giddiness rushed up Jaina's spine and pulled a short, quiet giggle from her throat. Had he always smiled like that? Her musings were interrupted by a strange and altogether unique magical presences emanating from within the Nexus. Brow furrowed, Jaina picked up her pace, hurrying down the sloping hillside towards the massive archway that was the major entrance to the Nexus.

Varian made a worrisome noise, "Is it wise for you to be leading right now?"

"Unless you can come up with a way to sense incoming magic, yes, having me lead is the best option," Jaina said as she passed through an entrance large enough to fit an Aspect. The passage continued to slope downward, taking them deeper beneath the earth until they reach the entrance of the first major chamber.

"What is this?" Jaina murmured. Here, seemingly right out in the open, was the source of the strange aura she'd felt outside. Sitting on a pedestal in the center of the chamber sat a large octagonal object made of some kind of metal she couldn't identify. It seemed to constantly be shifting colors and textures, at one moment seemingly to be made of old iron, another shimmering brass, then the pale shade of rare palladium.

Carefully, Jaina probed at the spellwork anchored into the object. The network weaved through it was _VAST_ and remarkably complicated. Even with just a cursory look, Jaina could see many of the intricate lattice work of spells parts within the whole were badly degraded by time and some kind of exposure.

Traces of Kalec's magic were all over the artifact as well, residue of similar probing spells along with others she couldn't identify without deeper investigation.

Something was… odd about the artifact. There was nothing outwardly wrong with it, nor was it sending off the usual warning signs that it was dangerous or had the intent to harm them. Instead, Jaina felt a disquieting sense that this was the cause of Kalec's strange change in behavior.

While she could not pinpoint why the object was making her uneasy, she did know one thing for certain, "I've seen spellwork like this before," Jaina murmured as she pulled her awareness away from the artifact.

"You know what that is?" Varian asked in a hushed tone.

"Not specifically, no," she admitted, "but I've seen similar. This is a Titan relic."

"I'm not all that surprised," Varian said, he'd been patrolling the parameter of the chamber while she studied the artifact. "Blue dragons seem like the type to possess such magical devices."

"I suppose that's true," Jaina sighed, "but this might be what's responsible for Kalec's strange behavior. I can feel his workings on it."

"Forgive me for possibly stating the obvious," the king paused his stride to look at her, "but you said Kalec was cataloguing the artifacts within the Nexus. If he was finding the proper place or use for something, wouldn't his traces be all over it anyways?"

"Perhaps," Jaina sighed again and rubbed her right temple. She was not thinking clearly. Maybe coming here had been a bad idea after all.

"Don't do that," Varian said as he began to walk towards her.

"Do what?"

"I know that look, you're second guessing yourself," he said as he came to stand beside her. "You have good sense Jaina, and far more experience with the arcane than I do. If you believe something is wrong, and _this,_ " he pointed at the relic, "may be the culprit, don't let the sentiments of a crotchety old man dissuade you from finding the truth."

"You're not old, Varian," Jaina chided.

"Yes I am, haven't you seen all the silver in my hair lately?" He pointed at his messy bangs.

"By my observation, _I_ have _far_ more silver in my hair," Jaina tilted a haughtily smirk up at him and flipped a lock of pale hair over her shoulder.

"Yes, but yours is made of magic and starlight, mine is just grumpy old geezer," Varian declared as quickly pressed a kiss to the pulsepoint of her throat. "What do you think we should do?"

Jaina cleared her throat, her cheeks suddenly much warmer than the surrounding air, and was about to answer when a foreboding growl echoed through the chamber. One strong arm went around her waist while Varian's other hand reached for the hilt of his sword. She stopped him with a touch, then pressed a finger to her lips, urging him to be quiet. Silently, she cast another spell, conjuring a dark, indistinct figure shrouded in shadows. She sent it off down a hallway that went deeper into the Nexus. Another spell whisked them both back to the archway entrance.

Roaring filled Jaina's ears. At first she thought they'd been spotted by Kalec, or worse, an unidentified threat was coming after them in fury at their intrusion. Her concerns shifted from Kalec to herself when she realized she wasn't hearing dragon sounds, but the roaring in her own ears! Clouds were once again blinding her vision, and her equilibrium faltered. She was only vaguely aware of someone easing her to the ground and forcing her head down between her knees.

"I am now even more convinced this was a bad idea," she heard Varian growl as the roaring began to die away.

"Too much teleporting too close together," Jaina insisted as she slowly pushed herself upright. She was pleased to find her sudden infirmity was fading as quickly as it appeared. "I'm feeling better."

"You're pale enough to blend in with the snow," Varian told her. "Drink some water."

Jaina let out a breath through her nose in frustration while conjuring a glass of water. Drinking it slowly, she let her arcane awareness move back towards the inner chambers of the Nexus. Kalec's presence was coming out of the deeper tunnels towards the entrance. Now would be a good time for her to 'arrive.'

Dissolving the remainder of her drink back to aether from whence it came, Jaina turned to her companion, "Kalec is coming this way. I'm going to go in and speak with him, but… " she bit her bottom lip timidly, "I need you to stay here."

"That is… unwise," Varian said stiffly, his entire demeanor shifting to resolute disdain.

"Just my presence here alone could be considered intrusive or insulting, Varian," Jaina insisted, "and Kalec is my _friend._ While he does like you, having you here too could make that reaction exponentially _worse_." Varian grimaced sharply, anger building until she could hear his leather gloves creaking as he tightened his hands into fists. Reaching out, Jaina placed her hands against his biceps, "If I feel threatened I will call for you, immediately, I promise."

Varian relaxed, his muscles slacken a little under her hands, but only only a hair. Disapproval still radiated off him even as he spoke, "I will remain just outside the doorway." There was a finaility to his words that stated he would not budge on matter. Jaina could not fault him, she was lucky he wasn't trying to lock her in the Keep in Stormwind. As she stepped back, Varian caught her forearms in his hands. Slowly, he let her slide them out of his grip until he reached her hands, where he caught them again. Jaina's hands were cold, and his were warm like a gentle hearthfire. Eyes the color of tempered blue steel bore into hers as his grip gently tightened around her hands, "Be careful."

"I will," she promised as she squeezed back. Mournfully, Jaina pulled her hands from his and made her way back into the Nexus. When she felt him nearby, she called out, "Kalec? Are you there?" Looking around, she found her friend turning to look at her from not so far away. "Praise the Light, there you are." Jaina smiled as she stepped towards him, trying not to let concern color her features. Kalec had a strange expression on his face, something caught between surprise, suspicion, and pleasure. The look did not fade as she neared, "Forgive me, I tried to contact you earlier, but when I did not sense you I had to make sure you were all right."

Kalec remained awkwardly silent for a moment before he finally answered, "You should not have concerned yourself so, Jaina. I was in the midst of trying to revitalize some of the wards around the Nexus." He gestured around them, "I'm sure you noticed much of them are down. I could not pull myself away from the casting when you called to me." His expression turned somewhat sheepish, "I'd intended to contact you after I was finished."

"You should really have some help, Kalec," Jaina said, but the blue dragon held up his hand before she could continue.

"Your concern is deeply appreciated, Jaina," he said, his eyes glancing around somewhat distractedly, "but I'm sure you have far more pressing matters to attend to than the putterings of a dragon."

While his words were colder than she expected, Jaina did not let her disbelief show as she responded, "I believe I can decide what is worth my time and what isn't. Your call earlier sounded… frantic and distressed." She found his gaze, "But I will take you at your word that you are all right."

"I confess I do not even recall reaching out to you. I must have called to you unconsciously while deep in the working. I would much rather be in your company than here by myself. I assure you I am fine," Kalec insisted as he took a step forwards, his expression changing, as if he was only just now really looking at her, "but you are not looking so well my friend. It further confirms my words that you should not have concerned yourself with me. You are very pale, are you ill?" He leaned in closer, suddenly far more engaged and attentive than he had been mere moments before.

Apprehension brewed in the pit of Jaina's stomach, "Yes Kalec, I am well. Much has been happening recently and I'm afraid it's left little time for rest."

"You push yourself too hard, Jaina," Kalec said, sounding much like someone else she knew.

"I do what I must for my people," she said defiantly, "but I will go home and rest." Jaina turned towards the entryway and began to conjure a portal. Placing it there would obscure Varian as he stepped through on the opposite side. As she finished the cast, she looked back at Kalec, "I would speak with you the next time your are free. I have something… important to tell you."

"I shall endeavor to see you as soon as possible then," Kalec smiled at her, the first genuine smile she'd seen from him.

Jaina nodded before turning and stepping through the portal. A relieved sigh left her of its own accord at seeing Varian already on the other side within the safety of her apartment. She quickly closed down the portal and collapsed on the nearby couch.

"You all right?" Varian asked.

"I'm fine," she answered, "Portals are less taxing than teleportation. I…" she sighed once more as she tried to shed the tension she was carrying, "I'm frustrated with Kalec."

"I can believe that," Varian said as he came around to sit next to her. " I could sense the lies within his words, and I wasn't even in the room." He leaned his elbows on his knees and looked over at her, "What will you do now? Will you leave him at his word, or do you wish to meddle further?"

"I do not 'meddle' Varian Wrynn," Jaina protested halfheartedly.

"Yes you do," he smirked. "You do it with the purest intentions, and often to fantastic results, but you meddle, love." Varian leaned over and kissed her cheek, "So what will you do?"

"I'm going to look into the other two relics that reminded me of the one we found in the Nexus," Jaina answered as she gestured towards a large silver tome one the highest shelf of a nearby bookcase. It slid off the shelf and floated down to her.

"I thought you said you lost all your books," Varian noted as he studied several full bookcases on the nearby wall.

"I did," she answered absently as she curled up and began flipping through the pages of her book. "I inherited these from Rhonin," the acknowledgement sent a mournful spike through her heart.

The first few pages she read through yielded nothing. Further page-turning and several minutes later, Jaina finally came upon the passage she'd been looking for. She read it out loud to keep Varian included in her search "...young mage Rulfo insisted. The visions he claimed to have had from touching it suggested keeper influence in its design. Archmage Theolinius had his own theories about keeper influence in other regions." Jaina clicked her tongue and skipped down passed the theories and discussions. "Ah," she murmured as she found his name again, but had hardly glanced at the next few words of the paragraph before she gasped and lost her magical grip on the tome. It crashed to the floor and fell apart in a spray of pages and parchment.

"That doesn't bode well," Varian stared down at the book with a look that said he felt a little sorry for it.

Jaina murmured a spell, the tome repairing itself and floating back up to her. She flipped back through the pages until she found the passage again, "...the third day after the find. An entire afternoon of searching revealed nothing, not even with the finest spells at work. Only after dark, only after the final attempt was made, did someone find his body."

Varian made concerned sound at the back of his throat before shifting closer to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Leaning his head close to hers, his eyes scanned the pages she was reading. Jaina pointed to the passage as she continued reading, "According to reports, at first glance, the consensus was that he had lost his way and fallen off the peak. Certainly, that explained how mangled Rulfo's corpse was said to be." She paused, one hand unconsciously going to her midsection as nausea welled up in her stomach. It was bad enough that this strange occurrence was somehow relating to Kalec too, but the words 'mangled corpse' brought to mind how very close _Anduin_ had come to being in such a state. Clearing her throat, Jaina continued, "However, later conversations by representatives from the Kirin Tor with those who knew him best give indication of a peculiar and sudden madness that descended upon Rulfo prior to his disappearance. The ultimate conclusions was that this vision the young mage mentioned was the start of his insanity."

"And you believe this could be what's happening to Kalec?" Varian asked.

"I don't know, I don't have enough information yet," she admitted. "I've read more about this somewhere before." Jaina turned her attention back to the bookcases nearby, "And I know I'm going to find it."

* * *

Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to leave a review if you like my work. Seeing you next time!


	6. Chapter 6

Varian reads while Jaina naps.

Alright maybe she more than naps.

Jaina is mad at Varian.

* * *

The sky was the darkest navy blue of night. Millions of stars glittered within its endless expanse, their brightness filling the sky with enough light to see by, even without the moon. A breeze blew around her, cool but refreshing. Leaves and blades of grass fluttered softly, spreading the smell of loam and pine needles across the field in which Jaina stood. A dark forest lay behind her, and the shadows of mountains loomed ahead.

A form began to coalesce from the darkness in front of her. No, not coalesce, it was walking towards her, slowly, but with purpose.

As it neared, Jaina was able to make out more distinguishing features. It was massive, with four long legs, pointed ears, fangs that jutted from both its upper and lower jaws, and covered in shimmering fur. It appeared white at first glance, but the more she watched it, Jaina realized its coat constantly shifted its color pattern. First it was white, then it changed to silver, to steel and brindle, and a myriad of other colors that made up the natural color patterns of wild animals.

The wolf, easily the size of three or four mountain horses combine, stopped a short distance away. It did not move, only settled Jaina with a speculative gaze. Two very loud sniffs echoed in her ears. She could feel the weight of its gaze as if it were a physical force.

Jaina was being judged.

Bright yellow eyes held her gaze transfixed until everything around her dissolved into blackness. She only woke when a deep growl rumbled through the darkness around her.

Blinking sleep from her eyes, Jaina looked around. She was in her bedroom in Dalaran, and had no idea how she had gotten there.

"Have a nice nap?" Came a deep voice that sounded eerily similar to the growl which woke her. Looking to her left, Jaina found Varian sitting in a chair against the wall near her bedside. There was an open book in his lap, one of her favorite history tomes.

"How long was I asleep?" She asked as she rubbed an eye and yawned.

"A few hours," Varian answered. "You fell asleep while reading on the sofa. When you didn't wake at my voice, I brought you here so you could sleep more comfortably."

Jaina sighed in frustration, "I wish you had tried harder to wake me. I've wasted time sleeping instead of finding what's wrong with Kalec."

"Rest is important for you right now, love," Varian said, making her roll her eyes, but she could not keep the tiny smile from her face. Her companion mirrored the expression as he pointed to three heavy books sitting on the edge of her bed. Several markers poked out of their pages. "I might've found what you were looking for about titan relics."

Jaina clawed her way out from under her blankets, "You did research? While I slept?"

"Just because I prefer more physical activities doesn't mean I can't read and search for information," Varian grumbled. "The blue one mentions something about a Spark of Tyr, relics of the Keeper. Said they stored memories and other observations. Many have been found throughout history."

Jaina plucked up the one he motioned to and opened it to the marked spot. Sure enough, the pages contain exactly what he stated. It also said many of the Sparks found by other races were damaged by time and the elements. Of those that viewed the memories, half had gone mad and killed themselves. The other half disappeared completely, never to be heard from again.

While Jaina did _not_ like the outcome of exposure to these particular titan relics, she was _ecstatic_ that Varian had found what she was looking for. Hopping out of bed, she hugged him tightly, "You found it! Thank you!" Leaning down, she pressed her lips to his. Originally, her intentions had only been to give him a quick kiss. But the pleasure she felt at the contact made the idea of pulling away far less appealing. She deepened the kiss instead, running the tip of her tongue lightly over his bottom lip until Varian parted them to allow her entrance.

The sound of pages flipping closed met Jaina's ears before he tossed the tome on her bed. With a low rumbling sound, his arms went around her waist as she claimed the newly vacant spot in his lap. Their tongues slid sensually over each other until Varian took the upper hand, pressing his passed her lips. Jaina moaned lightly, enjoying the way he overpowered her as he grasped the base of her skill in his left hand.

Something stirred between them, making Jaina break away quickly, "Whoops."

Varian chuckled deeply, "Can't help it."

"I… sorry… I didn't mean to rile you up," Jaina said as she stat back with a tight lipped expression.

"Jaina, I've survived walking around in full salute before," he said as he adjusted himself to a more comfortable position. "I will survive this one too." A lascivious grin formed on his face, "Although, having you around will definitely increase the difficulty level."

Feeling petulant, Jaina leaned forward, a lustful look in her eyes until she was mere centimeters away from him. At the last second, she grinned and said, "Quick, think of Lady Tremaine from the Council of Nobles."

Varian's eyes crossed as his mind automatically put a face to the name, " _UGH!"_

The woman Jaina spoke of was the oldest member of his Council, having lived through two other rulers before Varian. She was utterly _ancient_ , and time had not been kind to her. Lady Tremaine wore an awful powdered wig to hide the fact she was bald, her skin had more wrinkles than a dry prune, and she was _mean_. If the skeletal old hag caught wind of what was going on between Jaina and Varian, there would be no end to her squawking.

"You were supposed to be calming him down not _murdering_ him!" Varian said as his face screwed up in unbridled disgust.

Jaina snickered, "It worked didn't it?"

"I may never get it up again," he lamented.

Cupped his face in her hands, Jaina said, "Somehow, I doubt you'll have a probl-"

 _Jaina… come quick..._ Came Kalec's sudden call.

"What's wrong?" Varian asked when she cut off.

"Kalec is calling for me again," Jaina answered as she slid off his lap and slipped her shoes on, "I think he wants me to meet him somewhere."

"Do you know where that ' _somewhere'_ is?" Varian asked as he stood.

Exhaling slowly, Jaina focused on the connection from her friend's last call, tracing it back to its origin. Looking back at Varian, she nodded with certainty.

"Then let's go help your dragon," Varian smiled kindly, and Jaina immediately teleported them to Dragonblight.

They did not land where she had expected to. Instead, they appeared several yards back from her chosen destination.

And about two feet in the air.

A deep snowdrift enveloped them as they fell to the ground, cushioning their impact. Both emerged bewildered but unharmed.

"Where are we?" Varian coughed as he rolled from the drift and stood.

"Galakronds remains in Dragonblight," Jaina answered as she used the path Varian made to easily step out of the pile of snow. The sun was peeking through the clouds near the eastern mountains, adding splashes of color to the normally grey clouds that seemed to perpetually cover the area.

But something was off about the light, and the colors. When Jaina finally realized what it was, she whirled around to face Varian, "It's _DAWN_?! I was asleep for more than a few hours Varian!"

It had been evening the day before when they had arrived in Coldarra.

"You needed the rest," Varian insisted with a satisfied smirk.

Jaina growled in frustration, but decided there was nothing more to be done about it. Instead, she focused on why Kalec would have called her from Galakronds remains and not from the temple to the southeast. She sent out a call and waited for a link to establish. When nothing came, Jaina sent a sharper call directed towards the massive skeleton specifically. Still she received no response.

Worry began to build in the pit of her stomach. What if he was lying injured or unconscious within those remains? Or worse? With barely a word, Jaina made her way towards the skeleton, eyes scanning the surrounding haze as she went.

"Am I the only one feeling like we're being watched," Varian whispered as he followed behind her.

"No, I feel it too," Jaina agreed, "but we're in a boneyard, so I'm not surprised."

They made it to the massive ribcage uncontested. Stepping through a gap large enough to admit a dragon Kalec's size, the two of them peered around carefully, searching for danger.

Varian swore softly, "My sword is back at your apartment."

"Fear not, my king, I shall keep you safe," Jaina quipped. Casting her awareness around her, Jaina searched for the dragon, hoping to find him within the tomb of bones.

"He's not here," she sighed deeply. "He was, but no longer."

"Any idea what he was here for?" Varian asked as he stepped beside her. "Those tracks in the snow look to be his size."

"At this point, my guess is as good as yours," she answered as she began to follow the huge paw prints. They walked carefully through the gloom in silence, halting only when the wind would whip between the ribcage, making the bones groan and creak ominously.

Finally, they found a large hole in the ground. From it came faint magical traces that reminded her of the artifact, along with the violet haze that had permeated it.

"This is where he found it," Jaina realized as she knelt near the edge of the hole. Probing it with her magic, she found traces of Kalec as well, confirming her words.

"He seems to have gone through a lot of trouble to get it out," Varian said as he knelt beside her, studying the hole. In a much lower tone, he whispered, "We are being followed."

"Mmm," Jaina nodded, aware of the presence hanging back behind them. It made no move to engage them, so she ignored it for now. Turning her attention back to the hole, Jaina conjured a golden globe of light and sent it floating downward, in hopes of finding something.

But, just like with Kalec, there was nothing within the pit, only dirt, permafrost, and the residual remains of magic.

There was an almost imperceptible crunch of snow behind them, and Jaina cast a spell in its direction. For her efforts, she was rewarded with the sound of a light grunt.

Whirling, both of them found a female taunka standing only a few feet behind them.

"Who are you?" Jaina demanded, suspicious of a creature who managed to get so close to them without their notice.

"Buniq…" the taunka answered, "My name is Buniq." She carried a spear, but it was held casually at her side, not aimed to attack.

"What are you doing here?" Jaina asked as she inched a few steps in front of Varian. She could easily shield them both at this angle if the taunka decided to use her weapon.

"Hunting. Saw the light. Thought it might be another hunter," Buniq answered simply.

Detecting no lie, Jaina released her from her spell. The taunka stretched her arms, but kept her grip on her weapon relaxed. "You are free to go," Jaina said, her tone indicating that she would prefer Buniq did as she was told.

The taunka nodded and turned to go, pausing only to say, "The blue one searched there too. Found something, I think."

"The blue one," Varian looked at Jaina.

"Kalec," she nodded, "What did he find?"

"Don't know," Buniq shrugged. "Saw something else, after he left. Saw another. All covered."

"All covered? In a cloak?" Jaina asked as she motioned to the one Varian wore.

Buniq bent her head forward in a nod, "Darker. Was tall. Taller than him." She pointed at Varian. "It looked into hole, just like you."

Jaina's brow furrowed, "Did the figure do anything?"

Another nod was accompanied by a soft grunt. Cocking her head to the side, Buniq slowly passed her spear from one hand to the other. No longer encumbered by its weapon, her free hand lifted and drew something in the air before them. When she finished, Buniq dropped her arm to her side and went still again.

The action, while done carefully, had been far too quick for Jaina to make sense of it. "Can you draw it again please? But slower this time?" As the taunka began again, Jaina cast a simple spell. The air around Buniq's finger flared bright with a thin line of silver fire, making her hesitate. "It's all right, Buniq, the fire will only follow your movements," Jaina urged, "Please continue."

Buniq nodded, wiped away the start of her previous attempt, and started for the third time. The silver fire followed as she completed the symbol. Jaina watched with ever-increasing interest, all the while hoping that Buniq had a very sharp memory. When she finished, the taunka stepped back, and Jaina summoned the drawing to her.

In her magical grasp was a symbol made of a crescent star overlooking a stylized bird. Both bound in the center by three simple but significant runes of triangular shape.

"Does it mean anything to you?" Varian asked as he stepped closer to her side to study it.

"It's familiar, I think I've seen it somewhere before" Jaina answered before looking back at Buniq, "Was there an… where did she go?"

There was no trace of the taunka hunter.

Varian pressed his back to Jaina's, head swaying from side to side as his gaze searched for Buniq, "This is becoming somewhat unnerving."

"Indeed," Jaina murmured as she scanned their surroundings, but she sensed no incoming threats. "I believe we have found all that will be useful here." Varian grunted in agreement, and she cast a teleport that whisked them back to Dalaran. The symbol Buniq had drawn was somewhere within her library of books. If they could find it, surely they would be able to understand how it was linked to Kalec, and what the artifact was doing to him.

To Jaina's dismay, she felt someone seeking her attention the moment they arrived in her apartment. A hasty cloaking spell masked their appearance

"Archmage?" Came the distinct voice of Modera outside her door, "Archmage, forgive me, are you within?

Jaina grimaced as she further strengthened her cloaking spells. This was not the time to be interrupted or discovered. Not while Varian was with her. That on its own would raise a slew of questions she did not particularly want to answer.

Modera, clearly undeterred by simply not receiving an answer, cast a spell from the other side of the door. Pressing themselves back against the far wall of the small foyer, they watched as a transparent form coalesced into that of Modera herself.

"Jaina?" The projection called, "Are you here? Forgive the intrusion, but I really _must_ speak with you." Modera turned her head to look straight at them. Jaina felt Varian's arm tighten protectively around her waist as they both went rigid under the other archmage's gaze. They only relaxed when Modera looked to the opposite wall of the foyer.

They had not been detected, it seemed.

Sighing, Modera spoke again, "She must be resting. If what King Wrynn said was true, then I cannot fault her. Perhaps she is with them, checking on Prince Anduin." Raising her hand, a small ball of purplish light appeared. Modera spoke a short message into it, then left it to meander about the foyer until its recipient returned. Finished leaving her message, the visage of Modera vanished.

Jaina kept them cloaked until all traces of the other archmage left the area. Once she was certain they were alone, she dropped the invisibility spell and motioned silently for Varian to retrieve his sword. They did not have the leisure or security they had earlier. Jaina was certain Modera would post guards to watch for her return. Kalec as a person was wonderful, but he was also a blue dragon. Dalaran's view of blue dragons were still cold, the Nexus Wars still fresh in their minds. If they knew their leader was spending her time helping a blue instead of her city, which was in an uproar due to her decisions, there would be riots.

Once Varian had his sword, Jaina immediately teleported them back to the Nexus. She gasped as they reappear in frigid Colderra once more, but _much_ farther away from her chosen destination than she intended. Attempting to compensate, Jaina teleported them closer, but only ended up back on the ridge where they appeared before. She tried once more, but was presented with the same result and a round of dizziness for her troubles. While unhappy with her whirling surroundings, Jaina was pleased to find the sensation merely that, obnoxious, not debilitating as it had been the previous day. She quietly celebrated that her infirmity was finally passing.

All the rest Varian had insisted on was indeed paying off.

"I take it there's a reason we're stuck out here?" He asked.

"The wards are back," Jaina explained. "And it feels like the artifact is tied up with them too." She carefully prodded at them with her magic, but as expected, they were completely impenetrable. Sigh, Jaina folded her arms over her chest and contemplated what to do next.

On a whim, she redrew the glyph Buniq had shown them, turning it within her magical grasp until she recognized it further, "Wait… I think this is a key!"

"Would it get us passed the shields?" Varian asked.

"Only one way to find out," Jaina grinned as she sent the glyph off towards the barrier. It flared bright only contact, leaving behind a small hole in the web of protective spells.

It was compensated for quickly.

Jaina repeated the action a few more times, assuring her first result was not a fluke. When each application yielded the same result, she smirked.

If a small hole opened when she used a single glyph, what would happen if she applied dozens?

hr

Varian watched as Jaina conjured more and more glyphs in the air around her. Nearly a hundred in all, with enough magic in them for him to see, pulsated in time with her labored breathing. Part of his mind nagged at him to stop her so she didn't overstrain herself. The other part urged him to be quiet. Interrupting a mage during casting was rude at the best of times, and lethal at its worst. While Varian was not worried about this spell backlashing at them, he did not want all the energy and focus Jaina was using to go to waste.

Finally, Jaina gritted her teeth and launched all of the glowing symbols out around the Nexus. They whirled around the structure until they came upon their designated spots. How she directed every one of them, Varian did not know, but once they stopped, she sent equally glowing sigils out after them. When they touched, the wards around the Nexus exploded in brilliant flashes of white and violet.

Even with the arcane pyrotechnics, the wards did not give in immediately. They rebelled against the glyphes, fighting to remain intact. Jaina pushed back, sweat dripping down her brow at the force she was using to counter the barrier.

Then, all at once, the wards collapsed and everything went dark. Jaina stumbled a little as the opposing force vanished, but not enough to break her focus. Without wasting time, she teleported them inside the Nexus.

They reappeared within the icy tunnels and Jaina gasped. Varian's immediate reaction was to keep her from falling, much as she had the last few times they teleported. Instead he noted, with much relief, that she had not gone sickly pale as she had before, nor did she sway or stumble. Now she was merely winded from exertion.

Grinning, Varian laughed and wrapped her up in a celebratory hug, "You just ripped down dragon and Titan level wards! Well done, beloved." He kissed her cheek, pulling a breathy giggle from Jaina. After taking another moment to hold her, he helped Jaina sit down. Once he was sure she conjured something to eat and drink for herself, Varian said, "Take a few minutes to rest, I'm going to scout ahead."

"Be careful," she murmured after swallowing a mouthful of water.

"I will," he smiled before drawing Shalamayne and walking deeper down the tunnel. The air around him was cold and crisp, and ice crunched beneath his feet. Glyphs and other magical symbols were engraved along the walls. Some glowed bright enough to light his path, while others remained dull and inactive.

An opening appeared in front of him, as did a pungent smell that reminded him of old sweat. With great care, Varian approached the entrance, leaning against a wall to better conceal himself as he peeked inside. Within was a similar chamber to the one Jaina found Kalec in on their first visit. It was mostly bare, save for an ornate pedestal in the center where the artifact now floated.

Varian found Kalec on the floor nearby in a pool of his own sweat, and he looked utterly horrible.

His fingers scratched at the floor, and to his surprise, Varian saw those fingers ended in the claws of a dragon. Other features were also distorted. His right leg had transformed into a perfect miniature of a dragon's hind leg, while his left one remained humanoid. Blue scales fused seamlessly with his clothing and skin in patches all over his body. Kalec's lower jaw had widened and jutted forward slightly, and it looked like there was the beginnings of a stubby tail growing from the seat of his pants.

"Uh, Jaina, you need to come take a look at this," Varian called down the hallway. The sound of hurried footsteps met his ears, followed shortly by Jaina appearing in the entryway. She followed the line his sword to the floor and blanched.

"Kalec!" she gasped.

"What's happening to him? He almost looks… caught between transformations." Varian said.

"It's worse than that," Jaina said as she carefully knelt down next to Kalec. "These are proto-drake features."

"It's making him regress?" Varian asked.

"I certainly looks that way," she said as she gently reached out to touch the dragon's mutating arm. Kalec's entire body spasmed before he swung his head around, opened his jaw at an impossible angle for a humanoid face, and blasted Jaina with a full powered frost breath attack.

Varian did not remember moving. All he remembered was Kalec's strike and Jaina's petrified yelp, and the next thing he knew, he was carrying Jaina to the opposite side of the chamber. Sitting her against the wall, he hurriedly began to brush away the thick layer of hoarfrost that had collected on her skin and robes. She was trembling violently, and his heart was pounding in his ears as he searched her body for injuries.

Miraculously, he found none. Not one frost burn or blister. Jaina was hail and whole, if a little chilly from the point blank frozen blast. Her shields had taken the full brunt of the attack.

"You're all right," Varian said as he clutched her to him. The embrace was meant to both warm her and ease his hammering heart. "You're okay."

"H-H-He… I n-n-never exp-p-pected him t-t-to attack m-m-m-me…." she stammered, voice small and quaking. Shuddering, Jaina wrapped an arm around her midsection, "He almost…." She swallowed hard, eyes wide in panic, "Light, I-I-I'm… having a baby and he nearly killed…." Jaina didn't finish her sentence, instead her panicked expression deepened, and her voice rose in pitch and speed. Tears began to flow freely down her face, "I'm having a baby. Light what am I doing here? What am I…?" she began to hyperventilate as her shaking became violent.

"Shit," Varian swore. The significance of her condition was hitting her all at once. He thought she'd already experienced this part of her pregnancy discovery on her own. It was something Varian had not been pleased about. But now it was truly happening, and, while Varian was glad he was here with her, this was not the time, or place, to be breaking down.

Setting her against the wall again, Varian cupped her face in his hands, "Jaina, love, look at me. You're safe, I'm right here, I won't let anything harm you, I promise." Finally, she did look at him, her blue eyes full of terror and worry. "It's okay. Deep breaths for me. Inhale," he instructed when she did not breathe at all. After a moment, Jaina pulled in a ragged breath, eyes still unblinkingly following him. "Exhale." She let out a shaky breath, gaze slowly returning to normal. Varian guided her through another few rounds of breathing before her trembling began to calm.

"I'm okay," she panted, swallowing hard before leaning in and pressing her face against his chest. She inhaled deeply through her nose before she whimpered, "Thank you."

"I love you," he responded simply as he held her again. It did not matter that there was no answer in kind. He loved Jaina, and that was all that mattered for now. Inhaling deeply, Varian savored her unique scent, a mix of vanilla, lilacs, and something he did not have a word for. The closest thing he could think of was the scent in the air before an unbridled thunderstorm. Wild and powerful, but very much apart of her and not the world around her.

Holding her seemed to be helping her calm down, but was starting to do the opposite for Varian. Now that he was certain she was unharmed, his fury was beginning to simmer in his veins. Pulling off his fur lined cloak, Varian wrapped the heavy fabric around Jaina to help warm her. Once she was sitting back against the wall again, he stood with a growl and strode back towards Kalec.

 _Dragons are dangerous creatures_ , Varian thought to himself. He had a poor viewpoint of dragons due to past experiences. Onyxia was the most notable. She had been responsible for the chaos surrounding the Mason's guild, refusing to pay them their agreed wages after the work of rebuilding Stormwind had been completed. As a result, there had been riot, and a thrown stone had ended Tiffin's life. His wife had taken an attack meant for him, and for the longest time, Varian blamed himself for the accident. It wasn't until Lady Prestor relieved herself as Onyxia, kidnapped, and nearly murdered Anduin that he realized where the blame truly lay.

Thank the Light he had friends, Jaina included, who had stormed the broodmother's lair to rescue him.

It wasn't just back dragons Varian had qualms over. The greens had also plagued him, and the rest of the world, with the Emerald Nightmare. While he had not succumb to the Nightmare due to Dreamless Sleep potions, Anduin, and later he learned Jaina too, had fallen early on. Varian had fought countless numbers of invading aberrations that had taken on the visages of Tiffin and Anduin. At the same time, Jaina had also appeared in his waking nightmare. She had not attacked, but had watched with an endlessly dire expression that permanently remained in his memory.

The only highlight of the entire incident had been when he led soldiers, both from the Alliance and Horde, against the Nightmare itself to support the workings of Alexstrasza, Ysera, and Tyrande Whisperwind.

Now he had personal issues with blue dragons as well. While by far the most reclusive of the dragon flights, the blues were even more dangerous than the greens. They had nearly brought down Dalaran during the Nexus wars. Dalaran had been a vital location against the Lich King, its neutrality and high population of mages had given the Northrend Campaign an astounding amount of mobility. Had it been destroyed, the ultimate outcome of their battle against the Lich King could have been very different.

Kalec himself, while completely opposed to the Nexus Wars and had refused to participate, _had_ been partially responsible for the destruction of Theramore. In his mind, if Kalec had not decided to remove the Focusing Iris from the Nexus, it never would have been stolen in the first place. Had it, and the blues themselves, remained within these magical halls, the Focusing Iris would have been properly guarded against theft.

Instead, Kalec's choices had nearly gotten his closest friend killed. Jaina's world had been torn apart and shattered her heart as well. Varian was deeply familiar with the pain and despair that came with the utter destruction of one's home and the mass murder of its people. In time, Varian hoped he might mend even a small part of her broken heart.

The only thing that kept Kalec on Varian's good side was he was genuinely seemed to be a good person. He made a mistake in the decision of the Iris's removal, taken responsibility for its theft, and done everything within his power to get it back.

It just had not been done fast enough.

More points in Kalec's favor had been his ability to reach Jaina when she was lost in her rage. It was something Varian was jealous over since he _had not_ succeeded in that endeavor. The only thing that made him feel less bad about it was the fact that Jaina had given him very little time to try before she teleported out of Stormwind.

Sneering down at the mutating dragon, Varian drew Shalamayne, the enchanted sword's blade ringing distinctively in the otherwise silent surroundings.

"No! Varian don't hurt him!" Jaina cried from the other side of the cavern. There was an arcane hum, followed by a dull pop as she blinked to his side and grabbed his sword arm in her hands. "Please, he's not in his right mind!"

"He almost killed you, Jaina!" Varian growled, "Had your shields failed, you _and our baby_ , would be _dead_!"

"I know that," she said. Shuddering, Jaina's grip slackened on his arm as she looked at the floor, "But… I don't blame him." Grimacing, she glared over at the artifact pulsating silently in the center of the room, "I blame _that_. It's linked itself to him, Varian. If it's anything like the ones we read about, Kalec might be trapped within it, reliving whatever memories are stored inside." She looked back at him, "The spells inlaid on that device have badly degraded. There's no telling what that's done to its original purpose."

 _Dragons were dangerous creatures._ Varian thought again.

But Kalec had stopped Jaina from using the Focusing Iris. If it weren't for him, Varian, and what remained of Stormwinds naval fleet, would have been destroyed in the tidal wave Jaina planned to unleashed on Orgrimmar.

He owed Kalec his life in that regard.

Lowering his sword, Varian gave a resigned sigh, "I will not harm him, but only because you asked me not to." He glared down at Kalec, "However, I will not be responsible for my actions if he attempts to hurt you again."

Jaina's brow furrowed as she pressed her lips together, clearly unhappy with his declaration, but did not protest. Instead, she turned and strode over to the artifact. "There must be a way to shut this down. I wonder…." She recreated the reversed symbol in the air before her.

"What do you intend to do?" Varian asked as he stepped closer.

"This is the symbol Buniq saw the cloaked figure use while inside Galakrond's remains," Jaina explained. "I was able to shut off the wards around the Nexus with it."

"And you believe you could do the same for this?"

"That's the idea," she nodded. "Using it like this will link me to the relic momentarily."

Varian once again felt a sneer pull at his features, but this time it was directed at the artifact, "I believe that would be unwise."

"There is a risk," Jaina acknowledged as she continued to study the relic.

"Is it worth your safety?" Varian asked as he sheathed his sword.

"I will be careful," she insisted.

"I don't care for this idea," he rumbled, "but… I promised I wouldn't hold you back." Turning his gaze back to Jaina, Varian felt his entire being soften as he beheld her. To him, she we the very essence of beauty and determination. "Please be careful."

She nodded, a small smile lighting up her features, before looking back at the artifact. After a moment's pause, for what Varian assumed was fortifying her protective spells, Jaina laid the symbol over the object until it sunk into it. A shimmering enveloped the artifact, then a bright light flashed, catching Jaina square in the chest.

It knocked her off her feet.

Varian caught her before she fell, but the strike happened so fast, he didn't have a chance to plant his feet. With Kalec's sweat covering the ground, the king's boots slipped over the slick surface. He fell hard, his world going black as his skull cracked against the smooth crystalline floor.

* * *

Jaina's world turned upside down. That was followed by utter darkness and then a babble of voices with a particularly reptilian hint to them. And that was followed by a mad array of images, including creatures she recognized as proto-dragons. In the midst of those, Jaina realized that she was a proto-dragon herself, and one whom she knew, albeit in a far different form.

 _Alexstrasza? I'm part of Alexstrasza!_ Jaina realized.

It was a very young Alexstrasza, an Alexstrasza whom Jaina had never really known existed. Through her eyes, Jaina saw other proto-dragons whom she vaguely recognized but would not have specifically known if not for her host. She saw Ysera, so much smaller than the rest, Nozdormu, Neltharion - _Neltharion_! - and Malygos.

Each of the scenes lasted barely a breath, and many appeared to be out of sequence. Most made no sense, and more than a few filled her with dread. Jaina saw horrific, rotting proto-dragons that were surely undead. She saw the wasted corpses of others. Most daunting to Jaina was the monstrous reality that was Galakrond, and she felt Alexstrasza's chilling dismay as if it were her own.

It was all too much, and she woke with a gasp, badly disoriented and annoyed about her running pattern of waking without remembering closing her eyes. She noted her placement on the floor near the artifact's pedestal and equated she must have fallen when the memories overtook her. A warmth at her back gave her Varian's location, and she turned, intent on thanking him for no doubt breaking her fall.

Instead, Jaina found him lying unconscious behind her, bright red blood pooling around his head where he struck it on the floor.

"Varian!" She gasped.


	7. Chapter 7

Final installment of this short retelling of Dawn of the Aspect.

If you have a piece of your artifact on crooked, you're going to have a bad time!

This bit has a few more parts where a just 'dropped' chunks of speech straight in from DotA. Mostly near the end.

* * *

"Varian!" Jaina gasped, shifting around so she could roll him onto his back. The upper right side of his head was sticky with oozing blood. Diagnostic spells told her parts of his skull had shattered when impacting the floor, and his brain was swelling.

Varian was dying.

Pulse pounding in her ears, Jaina sent a silent apology to Kalec before she began casting a teleportation spell. The healers in Dalaran would be able to help him! They had to!

Her teleportation spell failed with a pop of stinging arcane static rippling over her skin.

"What?" Jaina felt a coldness build in the pit of stomach. She immediately tried to open a portal, hoping it was her own shortcomings. Surely she was just low on mana! Jaina had put so much into taking down the wards, she did not have enough left to teleport.

The portal did not open.

"No…" she cast her magical awareness around the Nexus. The wards were back, and they had compensated for her earlier meddling.

They were trapped inside.

"No… no… _NO_!" Jaina exclaimed as she cupped her hands around Varian's face. If she didn't do something soon, he would die. Tears burned hot down her cheeks, "No… Varian."

There were arcane healing spells. Small ones for minor wounds as well as complex ones for severe injuries. Jaina knew them, had used several of the smaller ones on herself throughout her life. But she'd never needed to use any of the larger ones. They were intense and taxing. If she did not have enough energy to complete the spell, she could leave Varian crippled, or worse. Likewise, if she pressed herself too hard, those same spells could kill her with the effort they required. She knew of several mages who had expired attempting to heal grevious wounds.

But Jaina could not let him die. Whether she loved Varian romantically or not, part of her heart was already inextricably bound to his. The thought of losing him filled her with such anguish it _hurt_.

Kneeling beside him, Jaina began casting. The spell was fierce, utilizing every bit of magic she had available. Power roarer through her body, sending it vibrating in a way that was similar to standing next to a gnomish jet engine. The air around her shimmered and wavered as the spell reached out to Varian, surrounding him in a protective shroud of arcane energy.

An alarming tugging sensation began to build from the core of Jaina's being as the spell covered the wound, slowly righting bone and flesh. Other mages had spoken of a pulling sensation before, but the source of what caused it was speculative. Popular opinion was the spell required something of its caster to fully complete the healing process.

By the time the spell finished, it had pulled so much energy from Jaina that she had lost the ability to see. She collapsed beside Varian, gasping and shaking. It was as if a vise was bound around her chest. Discipline kept her from panicking. Slowly, Jaina found she could take shallow, even breaths. It was still alarming to be sitting on the precipice of suffocation, but as long as she focused on the sweetness of the oxygen that was coming in, she was able to keep her terror at bay.

Finally, the tension around her chest began to fade, and she was gradually able to take deeper breaths. When her vision returned, Jaina weakly pushed herself up to take stock of her work.

The horrible tears in Varian's scalp were gone. He had not woken at the spell's completion. While Jaina was tempted to rouse him, anxious and impatient, she resisted the urge. Instead, she ran her diagnostic spells over him again. His pulse and breathing had returned to normal, the shards of his skull were fused back together, and the pressure building in his brain had been drained. There was no way for her to replace the blood Varian lost, but she was certain he had not lost enough for it to be fatal.

All she could do now was wait.

Trembling with fatigue, Jaina dragged herself and Varian over to the closest wall and sat against it, his head pillowed in her lap. Breathing still labored, Jaina rested her head back against the wall and took stock of their situation.

It was not good. They were trapped within the Nexus. Kalec was lost in the workings of a haywire artifact. Anduin was badly wounded and, even though Varian assured her he was going to recover, there was an awful voice in her head that told her he was still in danger.

Now she was on the verge of losing Varian too.

Jaina could feel the last bits of sanity in her life begin to slip away. Leaning her head back against the wall, she closed her eyes, feeling tears once again slip down her cheeks. "Please Light," she sobbed, "give me a sign that you haven't forsaken me."

In her lap, Stormwind's king groaned.

"Varian!" She gasped in surprise.

He groaned again as he sat up, shifting just enough to sit beside her against the wall. Bringing his hand up, Varian gingerly touch the spot where he had injured himself. "What happened?"

"You fell and hit your head," Jaina said as she crawled around to face him. Gently, she took his chin in her hands and guided his gaze towards a nearby light. He winced a little, but she saw his eyes dilate in the appropriate fashion when exposed to brightness. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Varian… Wrynn," he rumbled with only a slight slur to his words.

"Do you know my name?" She asked next.

His blue-steel gaze found hers, and a small smile tugged at his lips, "Jaina Proudmoore."

Hope flickered in her chest, "Do you know where we are?"

To his credit, Varian only had to take a cursory glance around before he answered, "A cursed magic dragon pit."

"It does seem like that right now doesn't it?" Jaina found herself chuckling at his feistiness, "But this place has a name, can you tell it to me?"

"The Nexus," he answered.

"Good, and what's your son's name?"

"Anduin."

"Where did you and I first meet?" She asked.

"Theramore Island." A hint of irritation was beginning to color his voice.

"That's right. Last one I promise," Jaina said, feeling herself begin to relax a little, "I told you something very important yesterday. Do you remember what that was?"

The small grin that appeared when she'd asked for her name reappeared, growing to a tender smile as he reached out to caress her cheek, "You're pregnant."

Tears of relief poured down her cheeks as Jaina threw her arms around him, cradling his head against her shoulder, "Light, Varian," she sobbed quietly, "I thought I lost you!"

"You wouldn't've lost me, m'too stubborn," he slurred a little more, sounding much like his Anduin had the day before.

Pulling away, Jaina shook her head slowly.

Varian's eyes widened, "That bad?" She nodded, more tears falling as she clenched her teeth. "Oh," he murmured, suddenly looking much more humble, "Well then, thanks for saving me."

Jaina hugged him again, holding him so tightly it hurt, "I wanted to take you to Dalaran. I wanted to get you away from here. Back where it was safe." She sniffed, "But the wards around the Nexus have been restored. The artifact… it's learning. It compensated when it rebuilt its shield wards. We're trapped in here." Burying her face in the crook of his neck, Jaina inhaled deeply. Varian's scent, still new and alluring, was already remarkably calming. "I wasn't sure I could save you. Arcane healing spells are very difficult. I… so much could've gone wrong." She gave a tremulous sigh and swallowed. Relaxing her grip, Jaina began inspecting the healed wound once more, grimacing at the sticky blood matting his hair. Conjuring a damp cloth, she set to work gently cleaning the area.

"What happened to you?" Varian asked. "The last thing I remember is catching you after the artifact attacked you."

"It didn't attack me, I became linked with it for a short time," Jaina answered as she thought back on the memories. A grin formed at what she'd seen, "I think these are memories of the Aspects before they _became_ Aspects. Varian, they started out as proto-drakes!"

"Proto-drakes?" He peered up at her through his bangs, "I knew the Titans empowered them, but I didn't know they'd changed them so drastically."

"Neither did I," she said. "I think they were fighting Galakrond."

"Wasn't he the 'Father of Dragons?'" Varian asked.

"From what I understand, yes," Jaina said as she finished wiping away the rest of the blood. A minor spell dried the area, then she inspected the healed wound again. "He looked…" she considered her words carefully, "tainted, or at the very least in some form of mutation. Not like Kalec's," she nodded her head in the direction of the unconscious dragon. "He was enormous. Larger than the Aspects combined. He could crawl over mountains like Anduin could crawl over a couch cushion." Jaina ran her thumb over the scar on Varian's scalp. It was ugly and crude, but she didn't feel anything alarming beneath it. She made a mental note to bring him straight to a healer once they got out of there. "Alexstrasza's memories didn't supply as much specific knowledge on his physical state. She seemed… very young."

"Wait, you were Alexstrasza?"

"I think the more accurate description is I was reliving her memories," Jaina said as she sat back on her heels. "It was similar to riding a horse, but without a body. I had no control over anything, just watching through her eyes. Galakrond looked strange. It… almost looked like old god corruption," she said as she rubbed her arms to warm them. "So many extra little eyes and limbs protruded from his body." The cold, which Jaina had been able to ignore with her attention so focused on Varian, was creeping back into her. Shivering, she wrapped her cloak around herself and strengthened her personal barriers.

"You okay?" Varian asked.

"Cold," she answered. "I haven't been able to get warm since Kalec breathed on me."

Making a displeased noise, Varian reached out and pulled her down so she sat between his legs. Unclasping his cloak, he bundled her up in it before wrapping his arms securely around her.

Jaina sighed heavily in relief, "Light you're so _warm_." She snuggled in closer, tucking her head beneath his chin and basked in the heat he radiated.

Varian chuckled ruefully, "Glad to be somewhat useful."

"You've been wonderfully helpful, Varian," Jaina picked her head up just enough to look at him. "You found out what this artifact was and possibly _why_ it's doing what it's doing!"

He shrugged, "I read a book, nothing special. You are just as capable of doing that without my help. You would've found it eventually, perhaps earlier if I hadn't moved you to your bed to sleep." Leaning his head down over her shoulder, "My point is, you didn't really need me to come with you."

"Maybe," Jaina whispered, "But having you with me has been a wonderful change. Normally I do everything on my own. It's been… nice to have someone else I can rely on."

"Don't ever hesitate about it either," Varian rumbled as his hand dug between the folds of his cloak to rest on her midsection. "If you need anything, I'll do everything within my power to help you."

"I'll do my best to remember that," Jaina said as she snuggled back down with a tiny smile. His statement was both cheering and sobering. It was deeply comforting to know he would be there if she need him, but Jaina also understood there would be limits. Not that Varian _wanted_ those limits, but while their blooming relationship and unborn child remained a secret, they would both be restricted to the lengths they would be able to go for each other.

"Good," Varian said as pulled her a little tighter against his chest and rested his chin on her shoulder.

Jaina smiled a little. This seemed to be Varian's default position, with a few variation, whenever they were sitting together now. "What is this?" She asked coyly, "Does the great King of Stormwind like to cuddle?"

"Shhh, don't tell anyone," Varian murmured in her ear.

"Your secret is safe with me, my king," Jaina chuckled as she brushed her cheek against his, wincing when the stubble from his beard grated against her skin, "Oh, prickly." She looked up with a smirk, but it vanished when she noticed the redness rimming his eyes. Darker coloring was beginning to appear beneath them as well.

He was exhausted.

"Varian, when was the last time you had any sleep?" Jaina asked as she wriggled out of the confines of his cloak.

"Mmm?" He looked at her in confusion, having caught him on the edge of a doze.

"When was the last time _you slept?"_ She asked again, feeling guilty and angry with herself. Varian had been so concerned with make sure she was well cared for, he had neglected _himself_. And so had she!

"I napped earlier while you slept," he answered in a soothing tone. "Don't fret, love. I can go up to four days without sleep, I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Jaina growled. "You've been so busy caring for me and trying to contain the chaos going on that you haven't had time for yourself. I've been so focused on myself I missed it. I'm sorry, Varian."

"There's nothing to apologize for, Jaina," he said as he reached up to cup her cheek his hand. "You've had a tumultuous last few days."

"That's no excuse. It's been just as turbulent for you as it has for me," Jaina insisted. "And… I have plenty to apologize for. I purposely made you angry in Pandaria after Anduin was hurt. I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. I never should have tried to manipulate you like that." Jaina found she couldn't meet his gaze as the rest of her apology tumbled out before she could stop it. "I… also looked at some of Anduin's medical report while you were away in Stormwind."

"Even after I asked you not to?"

"Yes, I did, I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely as tears burned her eyes again.

Varian was quiet for a moment before he gave a rough chuckle, "I had a feeling you would."

Heat blazed over her cheeks as Jaina looked at him again, "You did? You knew I'd look?!"

"Of course I knew," he chuckled again as his thumb brushed away a few rogue tears from her cheek. "I also know you did it because you care about what happened to Anduin. You care so much for others, Jaina," he glowered over at Kalec, "it often gets you hurt."

"Varian, I told you, it wasn't Kalec's faul-" she was cut off as the aforementioned dragon let out a painful roar. Fear clutched her heart as Jaina scrambled to her feet and rushed over to Kalec.

"Be careful!" Varian called from behind her as he staggered to his feet as well.

"I will," Jaina said as she warily knelt at Kalec's side. He was breathing faster than any living creature should be able to breath. The artifact in the middle of the room was pulsating rapidly, and, on a hunch, Jaina pressed her fingers to the dragon's carotid artery. His pulse raced in time with the artifact's glow. "That damned relic has attuned itself to Kalec's life force." Whether it was hearing his name, or the machinations of the artifact, Kalec roared again, and both of them watched as his body mutated furthing into that of a proto-drake. "This _can't_ be it was meant to do!"

"Jaina, didn't you say it looked like Galakrond was corrupted by the Old Gods," Varian said as he limped up beside.

"It's a theory, not a confirmed fact," she admitted.

"Regardless, that thing," he pointed at the artifact, "somehow ended up inside Galakrond. That creature died millenia ago, before Night Elves walked Azeroth."

"And sitting inside a rotting corpse afflicted with something like that _had_ to have affected it!" Jaina surged to her feet and kissed him soundly, "Varian that must be it!" She immediately turned her attention to the artifact. Still hopeful, but cautious, Jaina examined it again. As her magic probed it, the same strange violet haze appeared like before.

Instead of continuing to analyze the artifact, Jaina focused on the haze itself. She knew the artifact emitted a golden glow on its own. The hazy energy seemed to be a separate entity from the relic, but it permeated every inch of it nonetheless. With careful trial and error, Jaina found a way to dispel a portion of the haze from the artifact's spellwork. In doing so, she noticed something else.

"This relic isn't one whole piece, it's two fused together." Jaina said, speaking aloud so Varian could follow her train of thought. "Kalec must have found another part and reattached it. I'm not sure you can see it, but the connections are out of alignment."

"Are you saying this thing is misbehaving because it's top is on crooked?" Varian grumbled.

"I don't think it's the main cause of the problem, but it might be exacerbating it," she grinned. With a gentle magical touch, Jaina nudged the domed top of the artifact back into alignment with its base. It snapped into place with a satisfying click.

Following her earlier hunch, Jaina redrew the symbol in the air again.

"Wait a minute," Varian rumbled as he stepped behind her, wrapped his arms around her ribcage, and took a firm stance. "I'm not taking any chances."

"Appreciated," she smiled, then laid the symbol over the relic. It sank into it without any resistance. The top half, now properly in place, made a one quarter turn on itself, realigning the symbol with its inner spell matrix.

A thin white beam of energy jumped from the artifact to Jaina's forehead, then bounced to Varian's.

The scattering of images thrust upon them was organized chaos. Through the artifact, Jaina and Varian watched as five unique proto-dragons struggled against Galakrond, so large that he indeed scrambled over mountains as if they were no more than small bumps on a road. Malygos and Alexstrasza were nearly eaten by the abomination had it not been for Nozdormu blowing gouts of sand in his nose and Ysera breathing noxious gas down his throat. Another flash, Malygos and Neltharion broke off a large chunk of boulder and, through great risk and with a little luck, sent it down Galakronds throat. It lodged precariously at first, but with some death defying manurvers from Malygos and Neltharion, most of which involved flying _into_ and partially down Galakrond's throat, the rock stayed put. What followed was a long, gruesome death by suffocation as the mutated behemoth fled from the five, only to fall to it's final resting place in DragonBlight.

The impact of his body on the ground was so loud the roaring of the earth still echoed in their minds even as they came out of the memory.

Jaina turned in Varian's arms, eyes wide and breath tremulous from the vision. His expression mirrored hers, his grip tightening around her. Before they could speak, Kalec roared again, this time clearly in pain. Both turned to aid him, but were kept away from the ailing dragon by waves of intense heat radiating from him.

Jaina gasped as his body visibly darkened, "I have to break him free of this device. I think I know how, I just hope I have enough time left."

"Anything I can do to help?" Varian asked.

"Another voice that doesn't belong in those memories may help me reach him," Jaina answered, "But… it would require tying both of us to the artifact."

Varian studied their surrounds quickly, "Is there any reason you have to do this standing?"

"No, I can connect us while sitting," Jaina said, following his thoughts. "I just need to have it in sight."

They sat down on the floor as closed as the dared to Kalec, knee to knee, between the pedestal and Kalec. Linking hands, Jaina set straight into casting her spell, binding their consciousnesses to the artifact. Her world fell away, followed shortly by the sense of stomach dropping sensation of falling before finding her balance again. Opening her eyes, Jaina found herself staring at four battered proto-drakes. Four she knew,

An icy Malygos, a grey Neltharion, brown Nozodurmu, and tiny little yellow and green Ysera. They were all looking ahead up them, towards figures that filled the sky and sent their hearts racing in both terror and curiosity.

 _Are those… those are Titans!_ Jaina realized, suddenly fascinated. This was the moment! This was when they were changed! They were becoming Aspects!

And while she wanted to see the moment, to watch an act so shrouded in mystery that even the dragon flights themselves didn't truly know what happened, Jaina tore her attention away.

Kalec's life meant far more than memories of the past.

"Kalec," Jaina said through Alexstrasza's mouth.

Malygos looks around in confusion, Kalec's consciousness fused to his predecessor.

"Kalec look at me," she urged.

Try as she might, Malygos's gaze returned to the looming shadows above them.

"Kalecgos, you must awaken," Varian's voice growled through the gray proto-drake standing beside him.

The unfamiliar voice made Malygos flinch and turn his full attention towards Neltharion/Varian.

"Kalec, look at me please," Jaina called again, praying Varian's presence had sufficiently distracted him from the unfolding memories. "Concentrate. The artifact is trying to do what Tyr tasked it with, but the foulness that was Galakrond seeped into it over the millennia and corrupted its function, even as it sought to serve Tyr and the Aspects."

Finally, the reptilian gaze locked with hers and she _pulled_ with every ounce of magical strength she had left, severing his connection to Malygos. With great care, Jaina extricated all of them from the artifacts grasp and released Kalec's mind back to his own body.

They both woke first and watch as Kalec's body returned to its normal half elven shape. He woke with a gasp and looked around in bewilderment. When he spotted Jaina, he calmed somewhat.

"You reached me," he rasped hoarsely.

" _You_ reached _me_ ," Jaina said as she crawled over and conjured a glass of water for him, "How could I do anything less?" The dragon accepted the drink, sipping carefully as he looked around, obtaining his barings. His gaze found the artifact and he growled menacingly, lifting his free hand to sling a spell. "No, Kalec!" Jaina grabbed his hand in both of hers, "It means no harm. Remember what I said to you?"

"You said… but… how do you know?" Kalec asked in confusion.

"We were given a key," she told him as she drew the symbol in the air between them. "I'm not sure by whom. It may have been a Keeper, or even a piece of the relic itself, but we're certain she wasn't a taunka." Varian grunted an affirmative from beside her.

"Buniq?"

"So you met her too," Varian rumbled.

"She told you all of this?" Kalec asked.

"No," Jaina shook her head. "With a bit of research, and trial and error, we were able to piece the problem together." She looked over at the artifact, "I think I know what it was meant for now."

"As wonderful as that is," Varian spoke up gruffly, "I would be happy to leave this arcane freezer for a while. We can wait for the rest of your explanations, and," he fixed Kalec with a politely curious look, "what all you saw, until we're somewhere a little more comfortable."

"He's right, we all need some rest," Jaina agreed.

Varian was dismayed when he learned they weren't leaving immediately. First they needed to finish purging the rest of the taint from the artifact. With both Kalec and Jaina working in tandem, the process was swiftly accomplished. Once that task was complete, they piecemealed enough protective wards together to shield the Nexus and its contents for the next few days. Kalec then finally opened a portal back to the Temple of the Seven Stars.

* * *

All three of them collapsed on various pieces of furniture when they arrived in their suite in Pandaria. Mara stepped out of Anduin's room at the undignified thudding noises, "Ah, you've returned. The young prince was worried when you were gone overnight."

"The length of our absence was unintentional," Varian said from where he sprawled in one of the large pandaren easy chairs. "How is he?"

"In good spirits considering the severity of his injuries," the healer answered as she leaned on the door jam of the bedroom. "He's asleep right now. His pain is worse today than it was yesterday, so we've adjusted the healing spells and medication we're giving him so he can sleep through the worst of it."

"What happened to Prince Anduin?" Kalec asked.

"Has m'Lord been stuck in a hole for the last few days?" Mara quipped before Varian or Jaina could answer. "Our young prince was nearly crushed to death when Warchief Hellscream shattered the Divine Bell on top of him."

Kalec looked aghast at the old healer's words, "I'm afraid I've been considerably preoccupied, yes." He looked over at the two rulers, "I had not yet been informed of this travesty, although now I understand what you meant about 'policy changes' in Dalaran."

"Yes, it was part of what I wanted to discuss with you," Jaina said with an apologetic look from where she half reclined on the sofa. She immediately turned her gaze to Mara, "Varian suffered a head wound while we were helping Kalec. I healed it to the best of my ability, but… would you please look at it?"

"I'm fine!" Varian griped.

"As you say King Wrynn, but I believe it would be in your best interest, and the interest of others, if you would allow me to look at it," Mara replied tactfully. The king's signature glower was as effective on her as it had been with Modera. With a resigned sigh, Varian nodded and sat up straighter so the healer could examine him.

"Hmm," Mara's healing sight inspected the wound, "Bit amateurish, but it's done the job. All that's left is a mild concussion." Bringing up one glowing hand, she rested it over the area in question, "I'm bringing down the rest of the bruising and swelling. That should take care of your headache. No intense physical activities or alcohol for a few days though. I'd prefer the mandatory two weeks, but I'd sooner get struck by lightning and eaten by a shark all in the same day than get you to sit still that long."

"True," Varian grunted. "I believe the next appropriate business to attend to would be food."

As if on cue, a loud rumbling noise could be heard throughout the room. Kalec turned a bright shade of crimson, "Yes please."

Unlike before, when Jaina lamented the outrageous portion sizes of Pandaren meals, she now gave thanks for it. Kalec politely devoured enough food to feed three or four people all on his own, and drank what had to have been a gallon of tea. As he emibibe, he told them of what he saw in Malygos's memories. Much like what Jaina had come to understand, the relic contained all of the memories of each original Aspect before they were blessed by the Titans. Through those they learned of the corrupting menace Galakrond had become. He started out as the Titan's first attempt for a guardian on Azeroth. His enormity had been one of his greatest strength, and perhaps, part of his downfall. At a some point, Galakrond had run out of food, or at least could no longer find a satisfying meal. In what was probably desperation, the hulking proto-dragon started eating other proto-drakes. This had either spawned his corruption, or it was the corruption from something else that spurned him to commit the act in the first place.

Either way, it was Galakrond's consumption of his own kind that created the first undead plague on Azeroth. It was those undead, and the threat Galakrond posed to the rest of life on Azeroth, that urged the Keeper Tyr to find a way to combat them. In his search, he found five very special proto-drakes, each with a unique presence of mind and a will to protect others. He brought them together, and even with their meager might, they were able to vanquish Galakrond by shoving a boulder down his throat.

Varian and Jaina had witnessed the end of that harrowing event, plus the flash of them right before they became Aspects. Their short exposure to the artifacts contents had been reeling, and Kalec had been trapped within it for _days_./

"Light Kalec, you must be exhausted," Jaina gaped at him.

"I'll definitely sleep well tonight," the dragon nodded as he sat back in his seat, hunger finally sated. "You said you learned what the artifact was for. It's clearly a receptacle for holding and presenting memories."

"Indeed, but it's even more than that," Jaina grinned. "Tyr, like many of the Keepers, planned ahead. At some point he must have suspected the Aspect would lose faith in themselves and their abilities. I think this artifact was meant to show them those memories, to remind of where they came from, and what they'd been capable of doing before the Titan's empowerment." The smile turned thoughtful, "They really were remarkable, even as proto-drakes. They wanted to protect their home more than themselves. It's no wonder the Titans chose them to be Azeroth's guardians."

"I agree, seeing them succeed with so little does make me feel better about losing my Mantle," Kalec said before looking thoughtful as well, "You have my deepest thanks for pulling me away from the artifact's control. Without your help, and cleansing it afterwards, I believe the memories would have started over again from the beginning. I would have been eternally stuck in a loop until I perished." He looked at Varian specifically, "I was not surprised to see Jaina in the Nexus, but you were quite the opposite, King Wrynn. Both times."

"Both times?" Varian asked, brows raising in alarm. "You knew I was there the first time? How?"

Kalec tapped his nose, "Can't hide from this. Your scent was on Jaina, and nearby. I am glad you were able to help her."

Varian shrugged, "I didn't do much."

"Yes you did," Jaina lightly shoved his shoulder before reaching for a slice of apple that was part of their dessert. "He found the information I'd been looking for after I fell asleep."

"You needed the rest," Varian shrugged again, "and you can't tell me the extra sleep didn't pay off."

"It did," she chuckled as she bit into the apple slice, then immediately stiffened. The skin was like waxy leather, and the flesh mushy and bitter as it coated her tongue. Coughing, Jaina did everything within her power not to gag as she covered her mouth with her napkin, but ended up having to spit out the offensive piece of fruit, " _Ugh_ , that's disgusting!"

Kalec's brow furrowed, "Smells fine to me." Reaching out, he plucked up another piece of apple from the plate and popped it into his mouth before Jaina could react. He chewed thoughtfully for a few seconds before he shrugged, "It tastes fine, little soft from sitting out for a bit."

"Mmm," Varian snagged a piece and dodged as Jaina swatted at his hand.

"Varian! That could get you both sick!" She protested.

"No it won't," he chuckled as he pointed to a ring he wore on his right index finger. "It's spelled to detect poisoned or rotten food." He held the slice of fruit near the ring, "If it was bad, it would glow." The ring remained dull, and the apple slice met the same fate Kalec's had, "Tastes fine." He motioned for the piece she had left from her slice. Jaina hesitantly held it out next to the ring, ready to pull her hand away if either of them attempted to take the nasty thing.

The ring did not glow.

Varian suddenly barked a laugh, "I wonder if it doesn't like apples."

"What doesn't like apples?" Kalec asked curiously.

Jaina felt her face turn red as she scowled at Varian.

"What?" He asked calmly, "You were going to tell him _anyways._ "

"Tell me what?" Kalec asked, waiting with good natured amusement for the mystery to be revealed.

"I… uh… well…" Jaina stuttered. "Um… do you remember what I did during Winter Veil?"

"Yes," Kalec brightened, "and I told you it didn't offend me. Why?" His eyes narrowed skeptically as he looked at Varian, "Do I still need to bite off some limbs?"

"No!" Jaina said quickly.

"Oh, okay," Kalec's eyes sparkled at his little bit of mischief. "You have my thanks, Varian, for being there for Jaina when she was so upset." Varian's only remark was a short nod of his head. Turning his attention back to Jaina, "But this does not explain anything about not liking apples."

"Oh… um… yes I suppose that's true," Jaina felt her face heat up as she searched for a way to tactfully explain her condition.

Varian, however, had no qualms about being blunt, "Jaina's pregnant."

Jaina's face felt like an inferno.

"Pregnant?" Kalec's brow furrowed in concentration, "Where have I heard that before… " he trailed off as he seemed to search his mind for the draconic translation for the Common word. When he finally remembered it, his eyes opened wide in surprise, "Oh! You're having a w- baby!"

"I... " Jaina squeaked, still reeling from Varian's abrupt revelation, "yes… I am."

"Some of the earlier symptoms are nausea and sudden repulsions to certain foods," Varian added.

Kalec grinned, "Sickness sometimes occurs for dragons too. I have heard some females purposefully consume more food to compensate for such ailments. From your demeanors, I take it this was unplanned?"

"Yes," Jaina answered, "Steps were taken to avoid it, but they proved… ineffective."

"And you are content with this development?" Kalec posed the question to both of them.

"Very much so," Varian answered. "Just because it's unexpected does not make it unwanted." Kalec seemed pleased with Varian's answer, but looked to her for confirmation as well. While still feeling a little sheepish, Jaina nodded fervently in agreement.

"That's wonderful, congratulations to you both on your blessing!" Kalec's smile was full and genuine, but it quickly faded to quiet sadness.

"You're upset," Jaina frowned.

Kalec looked up at her with an apologetic expression, "I am. Not with you, but it's for… similar reasons." He pressed his lips together, suddenly looking unsure.

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to," she soothed.

"No… you have been open and honest with me," Kalec shook his head, "While you have not expressed it so, I realize you've just entrusted me with the knowledge of something deeply precious to both of you. You saved my life today on top of that, taking great risk to… all of you." His gaze found Jaina's as the depth of those risks sunk in. "I can only be as forthright in return. All I ask is that you keep what I'm about to say to yourselves."

"Of course," Jaina said, Varian echoing her response with a nod.

Frowning, Kalec spoke, "My people, all dragons, can no longer bear children."

"What? Why?!" Jaina asked, appalled at the news.

"We're not sure," the dragon answered. "We think it has something to do with losing our powers as Aspects. All dragons are linked to their respective flight leader, and it's possible giving up our mantles damaged the rest of them. But, that's all speculative. Whatever happened, very few eggs hatched after the Hour of Twilight, and no new nests have been made since." Kalec looked unbearably sad, "If we cannot procreate, my people are no longer viable as a species."

"No more dragons," Varian frowned.

"But… Azeroth would never be the same without dragons," Jaina lamented, hardly noticing one of her hands rested protectively against her midsection.

"That is kind of you to say," Kalec smiled sadly, "but it is clear our time here is coming to an end. The younger races must care for Azeroth." Sighing deeply, Kalec gave himself a little shake before putting on a happier grin, "Forgive me, this is not the time for such ill news. We should be celebrating your good fortune."

Varian chuckled, "As much as I wish to shout it from the rooftops, we've decided it would be in everyone's best interest to keep this quiet for now." Jaina nodded in agreement.

"Oh, I see," the dragon's blue black brow furrowed again, "this must have something to do with you both being leaders of your people?"

"Yes… what we've done could be considered… quite a scandal," Jaina admitted. "Tying that into the recent and controversial events between the Horde, Dalaran, and Anduin, we believe it would be dangerous to reveal my condition at the present time."

Kalec's expression deepened to great concern as the gravity of the situation sank in, "I understand. Please don't hesitate to come to me for help if you need it." A rumbling sound more fitting of Kalec's dragon form radiated from him. "It is loathsome that you must hide such a happy occasion due to your stations."

Varian nodded with a deep empathetic grunt of agreement.

Resting a penetrating gaze on the king, Kalec's next question was, "And what are your intentions towards Jaina?"

Varian took a moment to consider the sudden inquiry. When he finally answered, he looked over at Jaina, his voice was full of compassion, "To care for and be there in whatever way she needs me, if she lets me." The last was said with a bit of a smirk.

"So you intend to court her?" Kalec asked. At his nod, the dragon growled again, "If you hurt her, I will eat you."

Jaina balked as the king laughed loudly, "Kalec!"

"What?" Varian grinned sharply, "He has every right to threaten me. When it looked like you two may have been starting something after Theramore, I told him if he ever harmed you his head would hang from the gates of Stormwind just like Onyxia's."

" _Varian_!" Jaina exclaimed, only for him to cackle louder. Looking to Kalec for help, she was surprised to find him watching them with a perplexed expression, "What is it?"

"I've always been fascinated with how humans are able to laugh in the face of fear and adversity," Kalec answered. "The only other race I've seen come close to such behavior is dwarves, but that is usually a precursor to them jumping into the middle of a brawl or other such danger."

"I am also guilty of that," Varian grinned proudly, to which Jaina nodded as she covered her face with her hand.

Kalec opened his mouth to speak, but halted as his eyes went wide. Cocking his head to the side, he seemed to listen patiently to something they could not hear. When he finally looked at them again, he looked both relieved and anxious.

"Is everything all right?" Jaina asked.

"The others have answered my request to reconvene our earlier gathering," he said. "They're willing to meet at Wyrmrest to speak with me."

* * *

"Well Kalec? Can you now tell us why you've insisted on calling us back here once more?" Alexstrasza asked as she walked into the Chamber of Aspects in her humanoid form.

Kalec, also in his humanoid form, jumped from where he stood on the raised dais. Stepping back, he transformed back into his natural form, dipping his head respectfully, "I do."

"Very well," Alexstrasza nodded as she took her place atop the dais, transforming as she went. By the time she finished, Ysera and Nozdormu had entered the chamber and were taking their places beside them as well.

"Thank you for returning," Kalec said.

"Just what are we doing?" Ysera interrupted. "Best tell us quickly. You said it had something to do with that thing." She nodded her massive head down to where the relic sat harmlessly on a pedestal in the center of the dais. "Strange… I have seen that somewhere before."

Kalec immediately concentrated on the relic.

Nozdormu hissed, "What do you think you are…?"

The Spark of Tyr glowed.

And they remembered.

Like the relic had done with Kalec, it now did with the other three. They relived their past, from their first meetings of one another, to their epic struggle and victory over Galakrond. However, unlike Kalec, whose vision had been drawn out over several agonizing days, their visions only lasted a few minutes. In that short time though, their faces reflected a gamut of emotions.

Then the artifact's glow faded and they stirred back into consciousness.

"Kalecgos!" Alexstrasza looked put out, "You should not have done that without our permission!"

"Would you have given it?" Kalec's dragonic brow raising at his quiry.

"Certainly not!" Ysera snapped. Then her countenance and tone softened, "But we would have been wrong."

"Explain thisss, and yourssself," Nozdormu commanded.

And he did. Kalec told him everything that had happened over the last several days, except Jaina and Varian's part in it, at their request. When he was finished, even the cranky Nozdormu looked astounded.

"I had wondered for some time after why he had brought forth that device," the former Aspect of Time muttered in regards to the artifact. "Foolish, to think reminding us of this incident could change what has happened to us now."

"It was hardly just an incident though," Alexstrasza pointed out. "Your voice betrays you, Nozdormu. You relived what happened then, just as my sister and I just did. You remember how you felt… how we all felt back then.

"What does it matter?" Ysera sighed.

Kalec spoke up quickly, "Because this is what Tyr needed you to see! When we gave up our mantles as Aspects to save Azeroth, what you three did was a great and noble sacrifice. Even when you were proto-dragons, you proved yourselves worthy of the Titans blessings. You were willing to risk your lives to protect your home and your people.

"We nearly died several times over," grunted Nozdormu.

"No… we did," Alexstrasza exhaled, "Not physically, but in some ways, we did die. We forgot who we were over our millenia of life. Forgot who we started out as. We did exist before we were Aspects! And we fought, thinking not for ourselves, but for the greater good of all of Azeroth. We lived as ourselves before… surely we can do that again?"

Nozdormu looked thoughtful for a moment before addressing Ysera, "You fought well for a runt. I thought you mad at times… but admirable."

"I had to keep up with her," Ysera nodded toward her sibling. "And you were always there to lend your strength at just the right moment, Nozdormu. You know that."

"We all fought well that day. Even…" Alexstrasza looked sad, "... even Malygos and Neltharion." All three ancient beings were silent for a moment, paying their respects to their fallen brethren who had once been so noble and wise. Then they turned their attention to Kalec.

"You should not have done this, Kalec," Alexstrasza admonished.

"Unwise," said Nozdormu.

"Risky," Ysera added.

"But it has reminded us of much," Alexstrasza went on. "Reminded us most of all of who we were and still are." Again she glanced at the other two. "We have far more to think about. Would you not agree?"

"Much," the bronze dragon answered.

Ysera nodded.

"I have one more question to ask," Kalec spoke up. "We all know Galakrond as The Father of Dragons… but."

"It did not begin that way," Alexstrasza murmured. "The first dragons to come after us knew only of the great skeleton already long lying in the Dragonblight. We made certain that the truth about Galakrond would remain secret, for fear that some other might decide to follow his insidious path. Because of his immense size, many could not fathom him as anything else but a true dragon."

"We chose to encourage the misunderstanding," Nozdormu interjected. "And in his perverse way, Galakrond did cause the rise of dragonsss. A 'father' in some sense, if not exactly as we led all othersss to believe."

"And we shall continue to leave it that way," Alexstrasza quietly declared. Then, before a startled Kalec could react, she turned and scooped up the artifact. "I will tend to this. Its work is done. We may not be Aspects anymore, but we are still ourselves. I, for one, think that perhaps there is more I can offer the world after all."

"You're a stubborn one," Ysera directed at Kalec as she and Nozdormu turned and exited the chamber. "I can appreciate that."

Kalec was left with Alexstrasza. She tightened her grip on the relic. "Should I ever find that Tyr lives, I will thank him for reminding us of who we were… who we still are. As I do not know if I will have that chance, I thank you in his place, Kalec."

"There's no need—"

"Yes, there is. You still remembered life before assuming the mantle. You remembered enough to make certain that Tyr's hopes rekindled our own drive after we thought it was all over. So I thank you for that and much else." She left the dais, but before reaching the exit, briefly turned back. "Oh . . . and thank _them_ for us also." Alexstrasza departed before Kalec could regain his composure.

He immediately whirled toward a distant column half in the shadows. "Did you hear her?"

Part of the column separated from the bulk. As it did, it became Jaina Proudmoore and Varian Wrynn. Jaina wore a guilty expression, while Varian was wide eyed and bore a childish grin of excitement at being in the presence of such big and powerful creatures

"I'm sorry! What will she do?" Jaina asked as they stepped towards Kalec.

"Nothing," Kalec shrugged. "Maybe try and thank you herself at a later date. I shouldn't be surprised Alexstrasza noticed your presence." He transformed back into his half elven form and tucked his hands in his pockets. "If you being here had been a problem, she would have spoken up about it."

"Do you think it worked?" Varian asked.

"Will they return to the world?" Jaina clarified, "Azeroth still needs them."

"I think they will," Kalec nodded. "They've always been true to themselves. They'll see that truth now better than they did before. They just… forgot for a little while." He smiled fondly at Jaina as his eyes flicked towards her midsection, "The future of Azeroth will need them, and I believe they will heed its call when the time comes."

* * *

Almost done. There's an epilogue on its way. Had this chapter not been so long, I would have included it here.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below, and maybe things you might like to see in the future?

Thanks again for stopping by! See you next time!


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